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Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has proposed the establishment of a Regional Defence Academy during the 44th Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS).
The high-level military gathering, which commenced in Freetown, comes at a pivotal moment for the sub-region. Representing His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, Dr. Jalloh engaged with the region’s top military brass to address a “shifting landscape” of security threats, ranging from terrorism to transnational organized crime.
The center of the Vice President’s proposal is a “Centre of Excellence” designed to harmonize the training of young officers from all 15 ECOWAS member states. Dr. Jalloh emphasized that such an institution would go beyond tactical instruction, serving as a foundation for building lifelong professional bonds.
“Such an institution would stand as a powerful symbol of regional integration and shared security responsibility,” Dr. Jalloh stated. “It would bring together young officers… to train, learn, and build bonds of trust.”
The 44th Ordinary Meeting also saw a significant shift in regional military leadership, with Sierra Leone’s Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Amara Idara Bangura, assuming the chairmanship of the CCDS.
Finally, Vice President Jalloh extended the government’s gratitude to the visiting military leaders, praising their “continued commitment to safeguarding democracy, peace, and stability.” The proposal for the academy now rests with the committee for further evaluation as part of the broader ECOWAS security architecture.
