The 95th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers concluded on Friday in Abuja after three days of deliberations on regional security, political stability and economic integration.
The meeting, held from December 10 to 12, was chaired by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Kabba, who said discussions addressed major threats confronting West Africa, including violent extremism in the Sahel, the proliferation of small arms, transnational organised crime, maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea and unconstitutional changes of government.
In his closing remarks, Kabba said ministers also examined political developments in several member states and their implications for democratic governance, stressing that constitutional order, democracy and the rule of law must remain central to ECOWAS’s agenda.
He noted that economic integration featured prominently, with ministers calling for faster implementation of key regional initiatives such as the ECOWAS single currency, free movement of persons and the Customs Union to boost intra-regional trade amid global economic uncertainty.
Humanitarian and climate-related challenges, including food insecurity, displacement, health emergencies and climate shocks, were also discussed, with ministers agreeing on the need for coordinated regional responses and stronger early-warning systems.
At the end of the session, Kabba said recommendations from the meeting would be forwarded to the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, urging member states to sustain momentum by implementing agreed decisions.
He also commended the ECOWAS Commission and thanked Nigeria for hosting the meeting.
