The Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, says the new regional force will field about 260,000 troops annually, with an estimated cost of 2.5 billion U.S. dollars. The Sahel has become the epicenter of global terrorism, accounting for 51 percent of terrorism-related deaths in 2024. A Security Analyst warns that insurgencies and communal clashes have displaced millions, with entire families forced into camps. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger pulled out of ECOWAS earlier this year, leaving gaps in coordination and intelligence sharing. Despite the challenges, ECOWAS says it’s still engaging member states to raise funds for their counter-terrorism force, while leaving the door open for dialogue that could persuade Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to return.