The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reached a strategic understanding with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to jointly combat terrorism and violent extremism across the subregion.
Dr. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, made the announcement on Thursday during the 94th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers held in Abuja.
According to Dr. Touray, the agreement also encompasses a renewed commitment to preserving the achievements of existing ECOWAS protocols on economic integration, development initiatives, and social cohesion.
He further revealed that ECOWAS has resumed discussions with the transitional government of Guinea, aimed at establishing a conducive environment for citizens to freely determine the political future of their country.
“On matters of security and political stability, we have reached an understanding with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to cooperate in confidence-building measures and to jointly confront terrorism and violent extremism,” Dr. Touray stated.
“We have also aligned on the need to sustain the progress achieved under various ECOWAS protocols relating to regional economic integration, development programmes, and social cohesion.
“With regard to Guinea, political transition talks have resumed, and efforts are ongoing to create a favorable atmosphere for democratic decision-making by its citizens,” he added.
Dr. Touray urged Council members to leverage their collective wisdom, regional solidarity, and sustained engagement to address pressing issues and guide the region towards accelerated development and integration.
He also noted that the Commission would present several memoranda to the Council outlining key progress areas in the advancement of regional integration and economic development.
Among these was a memorandum stemming from the recent meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry, where key regional instruments were validated, particularly concerning trade, industry, and investment promotion at both the regional and continental levels.
The ministers reviewed the persistent issue of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasizing their negative impact on regional trade, industrialization, competitiveness, and economic growth.
“Non-tariff barriers remain significant obstacles to the expansion of intra-regional trade and investment,” Dr. Touray said. “Despite various initiatives, including the Presidential Task Force on the Trade Liberalisation Scheme, these challenges persist. The outcomes of our ongoing efforts will be presented for your deliberation during this session.”
Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, described the two-day event as a critical milestone in the bloc’s pursuit of economic integration.
“This session arrives at a moment of crucial reflection and decisive action. It reminds us of ECOWAS’s founding principles, particularly the collective resolve to counter neo-colonialism,” Tuggar stated.
“It must be defined not only by the depth of our discussions but also by the boldness of our decisions. I urge all delegates to engage in open, constructive, and forward-thinking dialogue.
“Let us draw from our diverse expertise, share best practices, and collaborate effectively to ensure that the decisions we make lead to tangible outcomes for the people and nations of our community,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, comprising ministers from each member state, is one of the principal decision-making organs of ECOWAS. It primarily serves to make recommendations—often based on resolutions from the ECOWAS Parliament—to the Authority of Heads of State and Government, aimed at achieving the bloc’s overarching objectives.
