West African leaders have renewed their commitment to strengthening regional peace, security and integration as the 56th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) at the Ministerial Level convened in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The high-level meeting brought together ministers to deliberate on some of the region’s most pressing concerns, including the evolving security and political landscape in West Africa, the activation of the ECOWAS Standby Force, the humanitarian situation across member states, and progress in operationalising the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Centres.
Addressing the opening session, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, urged member states to demonstrate greater unity in confronting the complex challenges facing the region.
He emphasized that stronger regional solidarity and coordinated action are essential to addressing rising insecurity, political instability and humanitarian crises. Dr. Touray called for renewed investment in preventive diplomacy, mediation, early warning mechanisms and the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force to safeguard peace and stability.
He noted that sustaining peace, democratic governance and regional cooperation remains central to achieving the aspirations of ECOWAS Vision 2050, which seeks to build a prosperous, peaceful and resilient West Africa.
Officially declaring the meeting open, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, H.E. Timothy Musa Kabba, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to promoting regional peace, democratic governance and collective security.
Beyond security matters, ministers also held a joint session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and the Mediation and Security Council to consider the Compact on the Future of Regional Integration in West Africa.
The proposed Compact is designed to redefine regional integration by making it more people-centred, inclusive and responsive to contemporary challenges. It seeks to rebuild citizens’ trust in regional institutions and governments while ensuring that integration remains irreversible despite shifting geopolitical dynamics and growing challenges to multilateral cooperation.
The discussions reflect ECOWAS’ determination to strengthen regional institutions, deepen cooperation among member states and position West Africa to respond effectively to emerging political, economic and security challenges.
The outcomes of the deliberations are expected to guide decisions by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its upcoming summit in Freetown.
