ECOWAS Vice-President Damtien Tchintchibidja Visits Senegal, Secures Commitment to Establish National Early Warning and Response Centre.
By Raymond Enoch
In a major step towards strengthening regional peace and security, the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Ms. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, has concluded a high-level advocacy mission to the Government of Senegal aimed at fast-tracking the establishment of the National Early Warning and Response Centre.
During her three-day mission in Dakar, Ms. Tchintchibidja met with key Senegalese government officials, including H.E. Mr. Cheikh Niang, Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad; General Birame Diop, Minister of the Armed Forces; and H.E. Mr. Ousmane Sonko, Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal.
The visit, which took place from October 28 to 30, 2025, is part of ECOWAS’s ongoing efforts to decentralize its Regional Early Warning and Response Mechanism (ECOWARN), following the adoption of a Supplementary Act by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in July 2014. The initiative aims to enhance Member States’ capacities in crisis prevention, anticipation, and management, thereby promoting regional peace, stability, and human security.
Speaking during her engagements, Vice-President Tchintchibidja highlighted the progress made under the ECOWARN mechanism, which is already operational in most ECOWAS Member States. She stressed the need to place citizens at the core of the system, noting that the ultimate goal of ECOWAS is to safeguard the well-being of West African populations through proactive conflict prevention and coordinated regional response.
She reaffirmed the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to fully support the Government of Senegal in completing the final stages leading to the official launch and operationalization of its National Early Warning and Response Centre.
In response, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko commended ECOWAS for its sustained efforts toward promoting regional peace and stability. He assured that Senegal is determined to accelerate the process of establishing the Centre, describing it as a “strategic tool for securing communities, both nationally and regionally.” The Prime Minister further revealed that the government is considering an official inauguration of the Centre in the first quarter of 2026 — a milestone that would mark a decisive advancement in the implementation of this regional initiative.
The establishment of Senegal’s National Early Warning and Response Centre will bring the ECOWAS region closer to achieving full operational coverage, reinforcing collective security and the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and resilient West Africa.
