The ECOWAS Council of Ministers has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring regional stability and integration in the region.
The Council made this known at the end of its 95th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers held between Dec. 10 and Dec. 12, in Abuja.
Amb. Timothy Kabba, Chair of the Ministerial Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone, expressed the council’s commitment to strengthening regional peace, security, and economic integration.
He also commended Member States for their open, constructive, and productive deliberations, adding that this underscored the Community’s collective resolve for shared prosperity and cohesion.
Kabba commended the delegates for their dedication and collaborative spirit, saying such reflected ECOWAS’s enduring commitment to peace, stability, and regional integration.
The Chair decried terrorism and violent extremism, the proliferation of small arms, and transnational organised crime, as well as maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.
He also added that unconstitutional changes of government, economic integration gaps, and the growing impact of climate change have hindered the sub-regional growth.
According to him, such threats can be surmounted through unity, solidarity, and a balanced use of diplomatic and operational measures.
He reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to ECOWAS principles, emphasising that democracy, constitutional order, and the rule of law would remain non-negotiable in the Community.
He reiterated the need to accelerate the flagship regional initiatives, including the ECOWAS Single Currency programme, the Free Movement Protocols, and the Customs Union.
“Against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty, the meeting emphasised the need to mitigate structural vulnerabilities, foster intra-regional trade, and develop a more competitive and integrated West African economy.
“Sierra Leone pledges to work closely with member states and ECOWAS institutions, particularly in areas of youth employment, innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable development.
“Ministers noted the interconnected nature of challenges such as food insecurity, displacement, education disruptions, and natural disasters, and called for coordinated, proactive regional responses,” Kabba said.
He revealed that measures have been put in place to strengthen early warning systems, regional preparedness, and resource mobilisation to better support affected communities.
Highlights of the session were the review of political developments in some member states and their implications for democratic governance, as well as humanitarian concerns and climate-related vulnerabilities. (NAN)
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