ECOWAS Hands Over Leadership of Africa’s Regional Economic Coordination Platform to IGAD.

By Raymond Enoch

In a significant move to strengthen regional cooperation across Africa, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, has officially handed over leadership of the Platform for Coordination and Collaboration of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to H.E. Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

The transition took place during the 6th meeting of the Platform, held on Friday, February 14, 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting brought together presidents and chief executives of all the key Regional Economic Communities in Africa.

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)
Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
East African Community (EAC)
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Established by the African Union, the Coordination Platform serves as a mechanism to enhance collaboration, policy alignment, and economic integration among Africa’s regional economic blocs. The leadership transition marks a new phase in fostering deeper cooperation for sustainable development across the continent.