Participants at the First Ordinary Session of the 2025 ECOWAS Parliament on Tuesday in Abuja. (NAN)

By Mark Longyen

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Memounatou Ibrahima has urged member states to deliberately embrace, cultivate, and reinvent the institution’s integration agenda as it marks its 50th anniversary in May.

Ibrahima made the plea on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2025 First Ordinary Session of the regional parliament, which also heralded the activities lined up for the parliament’s 25th anniversary in November.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the parliament’s 25th anniversary celebrations mark the beginning of a series of activities aimed at promoting regional integration and cooperation among ECOWAS member states.

According to her, there is the need for collective efforts by all ECOWAS institutions and member states to build a more integrated and prosperous West African economic bloc.

Ibrahima, therefore, called on member states to work together to address common challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality for economic growth and development.

“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.

“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.

“Integration and community life is a long-term and everyday task that we must continue relentlessly. However, we must celebrate our victories in an inclusive manner alongside other sister ECOWAS Institutions,” she said.

While paying tribute to ECOWAS’ founding fathers, Ibrahima enumerated the parliament’s achievements over the years to include its promoting of parliamentary cooperation, managing of political crises, and enhancing of regional integration.

The speaker unveiled the activities lined up for the anniversary to include seminars, workshops, and other events that would bring together stakeholders to brainstorm on the bloc’s shared vision and challenges.

“One of the key areas of focus for the parliament’s anniversary celebrations will be the promotion of economic integration and trade among member states.

“The ECOWAS Parliament’s 25th anniversary celebrations will also provide an opportunity for the community to reflect on its achievements and challenges over the past five decades.

“The community has made significant progress in promoting regional integration and cooperation, but there is still much work to be done to achieve its vision of a united and prosperous West Africa,” she said.

She said that the parliament would continue to play a vital role in promoting regional integration and cooperation while prioritising the people’s collective economic growth and development.

Dr Omar Touray, President, ECOWAS Commission, said that the parliament occupied a strategic position in ECOWAS integration process, with its members being the representatives of the Community citizens.

He said that the event had a two-fold significance, that is, the withdrawal of three member states with its potential impact on integration, and ECOWAS’ Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Touray said that ECOWAS would commence direct discussions with the three withdrawn Sahel countries on the methodology of the negotiations regarding the contingency plan for their complete withdrawal this week.

According to him, the position of ECOWAS is that the separation of the three countries should not come at the expense of the community citizens.

He said that the celebration was not only a moment of rejoicing but above all a moment of reflection and introspection on ECOWAS’ achievements and prospects.

“In this regard, a Summit on the Future of West Africa will be held for our member states to agree on a compact on the future of the Community.

“The summit will be preceded by series of discussions and reflections by diverse stakeholders within the community and beyond.

“Therefore, while we celebrate our achievements, we will reflect deeply on what has worked well and what has not worked well over the past fifty years.

“This is as much in terms of the pursuit of security and political stability as in terms of socio-economic and infrastructural development,” he said.

In a message of goodwill, President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Justice Ricardo Gonçalves, stressed the need to deepen collaboration between the Court and Parliament towards promoting regional integration and justice to achieve ECOWAS Vision 2050.

He said while the Parliament was crucial in amplifying Community citizens’ voices and ensuring that their aspirations and concerns were translated into policies and actions, the Court upheld the rule of law and promoted human rights.

Gonçalves said the year 2025 had been significant because it marked the 25th anniversary of the ECOWAS Parliament and the 50th anniversary of the ECOWAS as a bloc.

According to the Community Court’s President, the milestones are presenting an opportunity for the bloc to reflect on its progress and reaffirm its commitment to the ideals of regional integration, peace, and justice. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)