The Future is Bright for our Sub-Region, All Hands-on Deck to Make our Integration Work, Secure and Promote Prosperity for All — Touray
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, has expressed strong optimism about the future of West Africa, calling for collective responsibility and renewed commitment to regional integration, security and shared prosperity.
Speaking at the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government today in Abuja, Touray said the Community stands at a critical moment in its history, where unity of purpose and decisive action will determine the success of its long-term integration agenda.
He noted that recent political and security developments across the region have tested the resilience of ECOWAS but also reaffirmed its relevance as a regional bloc. According to him, the Community’s response to political instability in Guinea-Bissau and the attempted coup in the Republic of Benin demonstrated that ECOWAS remains firm in defending democratic governance and constitutional order.
Touray disclosed that ECOWAS acted swiftly and collectively to support Benin against the attempted coup, coordinating both political and military efforts among member states to prevent a breakdown of democratic rule. He stressed that such actions send a strong signal that the region will not tolerate unconstitutional changes of government.
Beyond security, the ECOWAS Commission President said the integration project must now be accelerated in the face of changing global and regional dynamics. He explained that growing geopolitical competition, pressures on multilateralism, and the spread of terrorism and violent extremism in the Sahel pose serious challenges to the attainment of ECOWAS Vision 2050.
To address these realities, Touray said the Community is reinvigorating its economic integration framework with a stronger role for the private sector. He announced progress toward the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Business Council, describing it as a key instrument for mobilising regional capital, boosting intra-regional investment and strengthening trade among member states.
According to him, the acceptance by industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote to serve as the pioneer Chair of the Council reflects growing private-sector confidence in the ECOWAS integration agenda. He said the Council will provide a structured platform for dialogue between governments and businesses, helping to unlock the economic potential of the sub-region.
Touray also revealed plans for a West African Economic Investment Summit, envisioned as a regular high-level forum to coordinate regional investment initiatives and monitor economic progress across the Community.
He noted that recent investment forums held in several member states signal increasing momentum toward regional economic cooperation and underscore the need to deepen market integration.
Concluding his address, Touray urged leaders and citizens alike to remain committed to the ECOWAS vision, insisting that the region’s challenges can be overcome through solidarity and shared responsibility.
“The future is bright for our sub-region,” he said, emphasizing that only collective action will make integration work, secure the region and promote prosperity for all West Africans
