President of ECOWAS Commission Addressing the ECOWAS parliament

ECOWAS Marks Milestone year as Parliament Tackles Breakaway States and Future Vision The First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament for 2025 opened in Abuja on Tuesday 20th May, with a warm call for unity, reflection, and decisive action as the region faces significant geopolitical shifts and prepares to mark its 50th anniversary.  

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the president of the ECOWAS Commission H.E. DR. Omar Alieu Touray Gave a warm welcome to the delegates from member states, expressing gratitude to Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the government, and the people of Nigeria for their hospitality and support in hosting the 1st Ordinary session. 

The address highlighted two pivotal developments shaping the regional bloc’s agenda: the formal withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS, and the upcoming celebration of ECOWAS’ Golden Jubilee. In response to the Sahel trio’s exit, ECOWAS has developed a holistic negotiation strategy, endorsed by an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers in April in Accra. “This week, we begin direct talks with the three countries to negotiate a methodology for separation,” the president said, emphasizing that the rights and interests of ECOWAS citizens must remain protected during the transition. 
He said preparations for the ECOWAS 50th anniversary are underway. The launch event took place in Accra on April 22, with the next major celebration scheduled for May 28 in Lagos — the city where ECOWAS was founded in 1975. A summit on the future of West Africa will follow, aiming to produce a compact that sets a new vision for regional integration, peace, and development. 

 DR. Omar Alieu Touray noted that the Golden Jubilee would be a time for both celebration and introspection. “We will reflect deeply on what has worked well and what has not — from political stability to infrastructure and economic development,” he said. Commending the Parliament for its active role, including the recent Banjul Appeal inviting the three withdrawn nations to consider a return, the Commission lauded the leadership of ECOWAS Parliament H.E. Hadja Mrs. Memounatou Ibrahima. “Your packed agenda reflects your commitment to the unity and social cohesion of our Community,” he said. The opening session closed with a call for continued collaboration and for Parliament to produce actionable recommendations that benefit all ECOWAS institutions and citizens. The Parliament session is set to deliberate on critical issues affecting the region, even as the institution marks a half-century of efforts toward regional integration and cooperation. wrtten by Raphael O Duru

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Solo survival of India plane crash

Britishw national  Vishwash Kumar Ramesh  miraculously survived the Air India plane crash that killed over  200 people. It was gathered by our source that  Ramesh’s boarding pass indicates that he was seated on the iseat 11A of the flight, which is the emergency exit row,    
Read more

ECOWAS and Nigeria Collaborate on Regional infrastructure Development Plan within the Subregion.

Image
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar   The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, paid a visit to the Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar in Abuja on Friday 30th May 2025, their conversation centered on how the West African region can exercise control over the smooth implementation of the Abidjan –Lagos corridor, which aims to boost economic activities across five cities in the region, and Pursue a joint partnership with the Nigerian government to advance the project. The Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar while speaking to the Press, highlighted the vital role of the ECOWAS Parliament in driving regional integration and development. "As the democratic voice of the people, the ECOWAS Parliament is central to our region's economic transformation," he said. "The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor is not just a road-it's a cat...
Read more