Accra: Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, has declared that the regional body stands at a defining moment in the history of West Africa. He highlighted that ECOWAS is at a crossroads, signifying significant changes in the region with potential implications for its future.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Musah emphasized the importance of commitment from every West African, especially through citizen agency, to re-imagine ECOWAS as a community by the people, for the people, with a strong sense of solidarity and self-reliance. He expressed optimism that the community could emerge stronger and more resilient despite the challenges.
Dr Musah made these remarks during his keynote address at the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) High-Level Policy Dialogue in Accra, themed 'Understanding Geopolitical and Strategic Changes in West Africa: Emerging Challenges and the Future of West Africa.' The event was organized in collaboration with the Social Science Research Council's African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and the Conflict Research Network (CORN) West Africa.
The dialogue served as a platform for stakeholders to reflect on innovative frameworks and mechanisms to address emerging challenges in West Africa in the medium to long term, in line with the 1993 ECOWAS Revised Treaty and the region's changing geopolitical context. Discussions included strategies for addressing the concerns of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries and reintegrating Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger into the ECOWAS fold.
Dr Musah acknowledged the historical significance of the dialogue, as it continued the debate between skeptics of ECOWAS's viability and proponents advocating for its evolution by learning from past shortcomings. He underscored the necessity of deep thinking and research to enhance efforts in promoting regionalism, democratization, sustainable development, and peace and security.
Challenges such as terrorism, the AES countries' breakaway, and military interventions in the subregion were cited by Dr Musah, who reiterated ECOWAS's commitment to democratic transition. He posed critical questions about political parties' fitness for governance, the impact of short-term presidential limits, and judicial independence on accountable governance.
Dr Musah announced an upcoming ECOWAS Special Summit on the Future of Regional Integration and Multilateralism in West Africa, aiming to address the regional body's numerous challenges.
