Memounatou Ibrahima, speaker of the ECOWAS parliament
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament says it is ready to strengthen efforts aimed at promoting regional integration.
Memounatou Ibrahima, speaker of the parliament, spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the first ordinary session of the regional legislative body for the year 2025.
The ordinary session heralded the activities lined up for the parliament’s 25th anniversary in November.
The speaker urged member states to deliberately embrace, cultivate, and reinvent the institution’s integration agenda.
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She said collective efforts are necessary to tackle common challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality and to build a prosperous economic bloc.
“This silver jubilee that we are celebrating must remind us that integration is not an inevitable destiny but a daily choice that we must make to constantly cultivate and reinvent,” she said.
“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.
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“Integration and community life are long-term and everyday tasks that we must continue relentlessly. However, we must celebrate our victories in an inclusive manner alongside other sister ECOWAS institutions.”
Speaking on the parliament’s future, Ibrahima said the bloc’s legislative arm would prioritise trade and social development.
Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission, noted that the bloc held that the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger should not affect citizens.
Touray said ECOWAS would commence direct discussions with the three Sahel countries on the methodology of the negotiations regarding the contingency plan for their complete withdrawal this week.
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He added that a summit would be held to discuss the region’s future.
