By Favour Ulebor, Abuja
ABUJA — The newly appointed President of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Commission, Birame Diop, has pledged to restore cohesion within the regional bloc and deepen cooperation with the Alliance of Sahel States, AES.
Diop made the commitment on Monday in Abuja during the formal handover ceremony of the ECOWAS Commission Management Team at the organisation’s headquarters.
He said ECOWAS was assuming office at a critical juncture, particularly following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the regional bloc.
However, Diop stressed that the geographical proximity and shared security and development challenges between ECOWAS and the AES made cooperation imperative.
According to him, the three countries remain neighbours and brothers to ECOWAS member states, noting that their withdrawal from the organisation had not altered their geographical ties.
He said both blocs were confronted by common challenges, including terrorism, irregular migration, organised transboundary crime and environmental degradation.
“We have no other choice, because our brothers, our neighbours, our comrades have left us, but geography remains the same,” Diop said.
He noted that ECOWAS and AES share at least 5,250 kilometres of borders, making cooperation essential in the interest of citizens across the region.
“We have no other choice than to work in a solidary, concerted manner for the interest of both spaces,” he said.
Diop also pledged that the ECOWAS Commission would work closely with Senegal to address the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, following the decision by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to designate Senegal as facilitator.
“I can give them the assurance that we will do everything that is humanly possible to live up to the expectations of both the Heads of State and Government, but also of the populations of West Africa,” he said.
50 years of Vision 2050
The new Commission president identified strengthening internal cohesion and improving the effectiveness of ECOWAS institutions as key priorities of his administration, particularly as the organisation approaches five years of implementing its Vision 2050.
He noted that ECOWAS had designed more than 50 programmes but required adequate funding to implement them effectively.
Diop therefore called for innovative sources of financing to address the organisation’s financial constraints and ensure that its programmes delivered tangible results.
He also stressed the need to make citizens across the region take ownership of ECOWAS programmes and activities.
The new president urged staff and member states to embrace tolerance, patience, respect and solidarity, noting that although countries in West Africa have different histories and cultures, they must remain united.
Diop was appointed President of the ECOWAS Commission at the 69th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government held in July.
Outgoing president highlights achievements
The outgoing President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Aliou Omar Touré, formally handed over to Diop after four years in office.
Touré said his administration delivered several programmes despite some of the most difficult challenges faced by the regional organisation, including the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
He cited progress in regional infrastructure and connectivity projects, including the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline and the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway.
He also highlighted developments in regional electricity interconnection, economic and monetary integration, food security, youth and women empowerment, education and skills development.
According to Touré, preparations for the ECO single currency had also advanced, with ECOWAS leaders resolving to launch the currency in 2027.
He disclosed that the West Africa Rice Investment Roundtable generated an investment pipeline of about $1.54 billion, including $1.47 billion in firm commitments.
Touré also cited the completion and occupation of the new ECOWAS Headquarters Complex in Abuja, supported by the Government of China, as well as the completion and inauguration of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot for peace and support operations in Sierra Leone.
He said his administration also oversaw the process of closing and transferring ECOWAS community assets and offices following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
On staff welfare, Touré said the Commission enhanced remuneration through a new post-adjustment mechanism across all duty stations, describing it as the first such enhancement since 2009.
The measure, he said, resulted in salary increases for all regular staff and some categories of contract workers.
“An institution cannot demand excellence from its people while remaining indifferent to their welfare,” Touré said.
He urged the new leadership to keep ECOWAS people-centred, noting that citizens experienced the organisation through free movement, trade, employment, security and economic opportunities.
Nigeria seeks stronger integration, financial discipline
In his remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, urged the new ECOWAS leadership to strengthen regional integration, accountability and financial discipline.
Enikanolaiye, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the ceremony, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the progress, stability and development of ECOWAS.
He called on the new management to promote cost-effectiveness, prudent financial management and value for money in the operations of the Commission and other ECOWAS institutions.
“For Nigeria, ECOWAS must continue to justify the huge investments and sacrifices that have been made, not just by the government and people of Nigeria, including the payment of community levy, but also by other member states in the sub-region to sustain the organisation,” he said.
The minister also called for renewed attention to peace and security, warning that economic integration could not thrive amid political instability, terrorism, violent extremism, irregular migration, banditry and climate-related challenges.
He urged the new leadership to deepen engagement with the AES countries, describing them as “our brothers and sisters in our shared region and with common challenges and aspirations.”
Enikanolaiye further tasked the management with ensuring that ECOWAS programmes produced direct and measurable benefits for citizens through free movement, regional trade and investment, infrastructure development, innovation, food and energy security, and employment opportunities for young people and women.
He assured the new leadership of Nigeria’s continued cooperation towards building a stronger, more integrated and people-centred ECOWAS.
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