By Gabriel Ameh
ABUJA/FREETOWN — The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for stronger regional cooperation, deeper political unity and urgent collective action against terrorism and other emerging security threats as it opened the 44th Session of its Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The high-level meeting, held at the Bintumani International Conference Centre, brought together ambassadors, permanent representatives and senior ECOWAS officials to review the region’s political, peace and security agenda ahead of key decisions expected from the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Welcoming delegates, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr. Julius F. Sandy, described the meeting as another step toward making ECOWAS more people-centred and responsive to the needs of citizens across West Africa.
He said hosting the session in Freetown reflected the regional bloc’s commitment to bringing its institutions closer to member states while strengthening public ownership of the integration process.
Dr. Sandy also highlighted Sierra Leone’s historical role in West Africa, noting that Freetown has long served as a centre of political, intellectual and cultural development. He recalled that the city hosted Fourah Bay College, the first university in sub-Saharan Africa, and played a significant role during the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade by providing refuge for liberated Africans.
According to him, that legacy continues to shape Sierra Leone’s commitment to justice, peace, regional cooperation and democratic values.
While acknowledging the progress ECOWAS has recorded since its establishment, Dr. Sandy said the region still faces growing political, humanitarian, economic and security challenges that require stronger collaboration among member states.
He urged delegates to conduct their deliberations with openness and objectivity, expressing confidence that the meeting would produce recommendations capable of strengthening ECOWAS institutions and accelerating regional integration.
Speaking on behalf of ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security warned that West Africa is entering a critical period marked by increasingly complex security and governance challenges.
He listed terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime, maritime insecurity, unconstitutional changes of government, communal conflicts, climate-related pressures and economic instability among the major threats confronting the region.
Although he acknowledged recent democratic gains through elections, constitutional reforms and peaceful political transitions in several member states, he cautioned that such achievements remain fragile without sustained regional cooperation.
According to the Commissioner, one of the major issues before the meeting is the planned activation of the ECOWAS Counterterrorism Force, which regional leaders hope will strengthen the bloc’s collective response to terrorism.
He also disclosed the growing financial burden of ECOWAS peace operations, revealing that the ECOWAS Stabilisation Mission in Guinea-Bissau has cost more than 44.6 million US dollars since 2022, while the mission in The Gambia has exceeded 174.7 million US dollars since 2017.
The Commissioner further disclosed that ECOWAS currently owes more than 116 million US dollars in reimbursements to troop- and police-contributing countries, warning that resolving these financial obligations is essential for the successful deployment of the planned ECOWAS Counterterrorism Brigade by 2027.
Beyond military operations, he stressed that humanitarian challenges, conflict-driven displacement and climate change must remain central to the regional body’s security agenda.
He also called for stronger election observation missions and improvements to the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Mechanism to help prevent conflicts before they escalate.
Reflecting on what he described as his final ambassadorial session after four years in office, the Commissioner highlighted achievements including mediation in political crises, support for democratic transitions, expansion of election observation missions, strengthening of the ECOWAS Council of the Wise and progress in operationalising the ECOWAS Logistics Depot.
He also cited advances in activating the ECOWAS Standby Force, improving maritime security, implementing the West African Police Information System (WAPIS), deploying the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) and strengthening regional efforts against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Looking ahead, he announced that preparations are at an advanced stage for the Special Summit on the Future of Regional Integration in West Africa, scheduled for July 19, 2026, where leaders are expected to adopt the Compact of the Future, a strategic roadmap for the next phase of ECOWAS integration.
He reaffirmed that the future of West Africa depends on stronger unity, sustained collaboration and collective commitment to peace, democracy, security and economic prosperity.
