- He listed key danger signs, including the persistence of coups, non-compliance with transition timelines
- He called for more frequent meetings of the Mediation and Security Council throughout the coming year
- The ECOWAS chief urged member states to recommit to constitutional order, regional unity
The Economic Community of West African States has formally declared a regional state of emergency as the sub-region confronts deepening political instability, widening security threats, and rising humanitarian pressures.
Eko Hot Blog reports the announcement was made on Tuesday by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, during the 55th Session of the Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level in Abuja.
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Touray, addressing ministers, diplomats, and senior officials, warned that recent developments across West Africa demand urgent, collective, and sustained intervention to prevent further deterioration.
He stressed that the region is now grappling with a combination of political upheavals, military interventions, rising extremism, and growing geopolitical pressures that threaten its cohesion.
According to him, a country-by-country assessment conducted by the Commission shows that most ECOWAS states currently fall within the “high-risk” category, a situation he described as unprecedented.
He listed key danger signs, including the persistence of coups, non-compliance with transition timelines, increasing political exclusion, and the rapid spread of terrorist and criminal networks operating across borders.
Touray said recent failed and successful coups — from Guinea-Bissau to the attempted takeover in the Benin Republic — underline how fragile democratic institutions have become. He added that elections, which should strengthen democracy, have instead emerged as major triggers of instability due to rising contestations and erosion of inclusivity.
He called for more frequent meetings of the Mediation and Security Council throughout the coming year, insisting that ECOWAS must consolidate resources and adopt coordinated strategies to confront terrorism, banditry, and political crises.
Touray also highlighted the escalating humanitarian situation in the region, citing UNHCR data that places the number of forcibly displaced persons at over 7.6 million as of October 2025, with Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali hosting the highest populations.
The ECOWAS chief urged member states to recommit to constitutional order, regional unity, and the Community’s democratic principles. He assured citizens that the organisation remains committed to restoring stability and strengthening institutions.
Also speaking, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Affairs Minister and Chair of the Council of Ministers, Timothy Kabba, emphasised that West Africa cannot afford further political setbacks, urging leaders to implement decisions that deliver tangible results and renewed confidence in ECOWAS.
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