The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, has urged member states to deliberately embrace, cultivate, and reinvent the institution’s integration agenda as it marks its 50th anniversary in May.
Ibrahima made the plea on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2025 First Ordinary Session of the regional parliament.
According to her, there is a need for collective efforts by all ECOWAS institutions and member states to build a more integrated and prosperous West African economic bloc.
Ibrahima called on member states to work together to address common challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality for economic growth and development.
“Integration is not an inevitable destiny but a daily choice that we must make to constantly cultivate and reinvent.
“The progress made together and the results obtained so far are still confronted with so many challenges that we have to meet for the well-being of our fellow citizens’, ” she said.
The parliament’s 25th anniversary celebrations would include seminars, workshops, and other events that would bring together stakeholders to brainstorm on the bloc’s shared vision and challenges.
One of the key areas of focus would be the promotion of economic integration and trade among member states.
Ibrahima emphasised that the parliament would continue to play a vital role in promoting regional integration and cooperation while prioritizing the people’s collective economic growth and development.
Dr Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, said the parliament occupied a strategic position in the ECOWAS integration process.
Touray announced that a Summit on the Future of West Africa would be held for member states to agree on a compact on the future of the Community.
The summit will be preceded by a series of discussions and reflections by diverse stakeholders within the community and beyond.
President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Justice Ricardo Gonçalves, stressed the need to deepen collaboration between the Court and Parliament toward promoting regional integration and justice to achieve ECOWAS Vision 2050.
He emphasised that the Parliament was crucial in amplifying Community citizens’ voices and ensuring that their aspirations and concerns were translated into policies and actions.
