West African leaders on Sunday gathered at the State House, Abuja, for the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in a meeting widely seen as pivotal to the future of the sub-region.
Opening the summit, Nigeria, as host nation, reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to regional solidarity, collective security and shared prosperity. Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima underscored the historical and cultural bonds uniting West African nations, describing the region’s shared geography as a reflection of common destiny rather than coincidence.
He noted that while disagreements among member states are inevitable, such differences must never be allowed to erode fraternity or weaken the foundations of the ECOWAS community.
The high-level session brought together Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers, senior ECOWAS officials, and representatives of the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), international financial institutions and the diplomatic corps.
In their deliberations, leaders highlighted the region’s persistent and interconnected challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, transnational organised crime, climate shocks, food insecurity and irregular migration. They agreed that these threats transcend national borders and require coordinated regional responses rather than isolated national efforts.
A key focus of the summit was the defence of democratic governance across West Africa. Leaders strongly condemned recent unconstitutional developments in some member states, expressing particular concern over the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau and the attempted disruption of constitutional order in Benin.
ECOWAS was commended for its swift, coordinated and principled response to these developments, including sustained diplomatic engagement and the activation of regional security mechanisms. Speakers described these actions as clear evidence of the bloc’s zero tolerance for military takeovers and democratic backsliding.
Addressing the gathering, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority and President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, described the 68th Ordinary Session as a defining moment for the organisation, noting that it coincides with nearly five decades of ECOWAS’ existence.
President Bio urged leaders to renew their collective commitment to the community’s founding ideals, stressing that only through unity, democracy and shared responsibility can West Africa achieve lasting peace, stability and sustainable development for its people.
