ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Urge Unity, Stronger Economic Integration as PRC Meets in Abuja Nigeria. By Raymond Enoch
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) met in Abuja on Monday, December 1, 2025, in a decisive consultation aimed at safeguarding democratic governance and reinforcing the region’s economic integration agenda.
Chaired by the High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria and ECOWAS, H.E. Julius Sandy, whose country currently leads the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, the 4th PRC meeting underscored the critical mandate of the Committee as the advisory body to the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.
In his opening remarks, H.E. Sandy described the PRC as “a cornerstone in the management of Community affairs,” stressing that the Committee’s responsibility goes beyond diplomatic representation to shaping policy direction, strengthening institutional coordination, and safeguarding regional stability.
A major highlight of the session was the discussion surrounding the recent coup d’état in Guinea-Bissau on November 28, 2025. Members deliberated on the suspension of Guinea-Bissau from the regional bloc, examining political implications and reaffirming ECOWAS’ longstanding stance against unconstitutional changes of government. Diplomats at the meeting emphasized the need for robust engagement, dialogue, and coordinated regional action to restore constitutional order while avoiding further fragmentation within the Community.
The Committee also reviewed the final report of its 3rd meeting and received a comprehensive briefing from the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr. Kalilou Sylla, and his team. Dr. Sylla outlined key updates on regional economic integration, including the ongoing work toward introducing the long-anticipated ECOWAS single currency in 2027, a major step aimed at strengthening cross-border trade, enhancing fiscal convergence, and reducing transaction barriers.
Other economic deliberations focused on rising public debt in the Community space and the status of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), considered one of the most important pillars of regional commerce. Dr. Sylla reaffirmed that the Commission is intensifying technical and policy measures to boost intra-community trade, noting that the single market objective remains at the center of ECOWAS’ development vision.
The meeting marked another milestone in the institutional strengthening of the PRC, which was designated as the advisory organ to the Council of Ministers in July 2023 during the ministerial session held in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. Since then, the Committee has assumed an expanded mandate to provide strategic guidance on political, economic, and security matters affecting the region.
Participants concluded consultations with a renewed commitment to regional cooperation and collective action, reiterating that ECOWAS must continue to protect democratic norms while accelerating shared prosperity for its 15-member states. The Directorate of Communication of the ECOWAS Commission encouraged continued engagement with citizens through its official channels.
As West Africa faces complex political and economic challenges, the Abuja meeting of the PRC reaffirmed that diplomacy, dialogue, and coordinated policymaking remain central to shaping a stable, secure, and economically resilient region.
