Foreign Ministers Call For Action On Sources Of Boko Haram Funds, Weapons

Delegates at an International Security summit in Abuja on Wednesday called for tracking of both local and external sources of funding for Boko Haram as a way to curb the violent activities of the sect.

The delegates also advocated the cutting of logistics, arms and ammunitionsupplies to the terrorist group.

The meeting, which was attended by foreign ministers and officials of Nigeria, Cameroun, France, the United States (US), Canada, China, United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Commission) and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was to assess the level of implementation of decisions and commitments made in the security summit on Africa in Paris and follow-up meetings in London and Washington DC.

The delegates also called on regional governments and multilateral development institutions to intensify socio-economic cooperation aimed at poverty-eradication, economic uplift and inclusive development.

Nigerias Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, who read the communiqu, said the meeting provided another opportunity to undertake a comprehensive and critical review of the implementation of outcomes of the initiatives.

The meeting underscored the need to effectively address the sources of funding for and the supply of weapons to Boko Haram.

It called for greater cooperation of the international community to assist in tracking theses sources with a view to putting an end to these practices and all forms of illegal transfer of arms and ammunition. It called for demonstrable and strict enforcement of relevant United Nations and other international sanctions against terrorist groups, especially Boko Haram.

The meeting also urged support for the implementation of multiple-dimensional measure adopted by Nigerian government to combat terrorism and called on regional governments and multilateral development institutions to intensify socio-economic cooperation, aimed at poverty eradication, economic uplift and inclusive development.