Nigeria has called for sustained dialogue between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES) to strengthen regional cooperation, restore democratic stability and address growing security challenges across West Africa and the Sahel.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, made the call on the sidelines of the 56th Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
According to a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the minister said continued engagement with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger was essential to promoting regional peace, stability and security.
Enikanolaiye described Nigeria’s leadership within ECOWAS as a source of inspiration and stressed the need for member states to maintain constructive dialogue with the AES in response to evolving political and security realities.
He also urged ECOWAS to pay closer attention to the situation in Guinea-Bissau, noting that collective efforts were required to address the region’s political and security challenges.
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According to him, the deteriorating security environment and changing global geopolitical landscape require innovative and effective strategies for engaging the AES while safeguarding regional peace and development.
The minister further called on ECOWAS member states to ensure the prompt payment of the Community Levy, strengthen cooperation against terrorism and transnational organised crime, and uphold democratic governance as critical steps towards achieving the bloc’s objectives.
Enikanolaiye also condemned the growing wave of Afrophobic violence in South Africa, where nationals of other African countries have been subjected to attacks and, in some cases, killed by mobs.
He described the trend as unacceptable and urged the Council to adopt a firm and unified position for submission to the African Union, in line with an earlier proposal by Ghana, to support a lasting solution to the challenge.
The meeting was attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray; Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council, Timothy Kabba; the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; and other senior regional officials.
