The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will convene a summit on its future direction following what officials describe as an “existential crisis” triggered by the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the 50-year-old regional bloc.
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President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, announced plans for the high-level meeting during Sunday’s 37th ordinary session of the Administration and Finance Committee at the commission’s Abuja headquarters, stating that prior consultations would include young people and women to shape the community’s future.
“Our organisation is at a crossroads, and this calls for a strong capacity to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of integration,” Touray said, acknowledging that ECOWAS faces both integration challenges and a difficult financial situation compounded by the three countries’ departure.
The commission chief, represented by Vice President Mrs Damtien Tchintchibidja, stated that recent events have highlighted the urgent need for institutional, organisational, political, and security reforms within the bloc.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Internal Services Prof. Nazifi Darma warned that diminishing donor support in the “new world order” requires the region to explore indigenous financing approaches, as the commission recently invested in new communications infrastructure to modernise operations.
“Donor support is diminishing in the new world order. We must begin to explore indigenous, creative approaches to finance and service delivery within the region,” Darma told the gathering of commissioners, parliamentarians, and institutional heads.
The Administration and Finance Committee meeting focused on evaluating mid-term implementation of ECOWAS programmes and addressing staffing gaps across institutions following the Sahel states’ withdrawal, which has also affected community levy collections.
AFC Chairman Ambassador Olawale Awe stressed the need for decisive action to fill institutional voids, warning that “the Commission cannot afford stagnation at a time when the region demands progress.”
Despite the challenges, Touray maintained that ECOWAS’ strength lies in “unity, solidarity and fraternity,” urging member states to move forward together on the path to development, peace, and stability.
The three Sahel nations announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS earlier this year, citing the bloc’s failure to support their security needs and alleging external influence in the organisation’s operations.
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