The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said that the region is in a state of emergency.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, stated this on Tuesday during the 55th session of the Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level in Abuja.
The meeting was convened in response to a recent wave of coups and attempted mutinies in West Africa.
Touray said the developments underscore the “imperative of serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to invest in the security of our community.”
The meeting was held amid ongoing political and diplomatic crises in parts of West Africa.
Touray said a country-by-country analysis shows that nations in the region face risks of military intervention, terrorist expansion, and rising geopolitical pressure at varying levels.
He warned that elections have become a major source of instability, putting countries at risk of a growing “erosion of electoral inclusivity.”
“Expanding influence of Terrorists and Armed Groups and criminal networks threatening regional stability. Increasing geopolitical pressures affecting Member States’ diplomacy and cohesion,” he said.
He added that the situation requires immediate and coordinated action, stating, “Faced with this situation, it is safe to declare that our community is in a state of emergency.”
To respond, Touray recommended that ECOWAS hold more frequent mediation sessions, “beyond the two ordinary sessions for the next one year.”
“We must confront these threats with the attention they deserve. We must pool our resources to confront the threats of terrorism and banditry, which operate without respect for territorial boundaries.”
