ECOWAS Ministers Meet In Abuja To Tackle Manpower Gaps, Reinforce Regional Solidarity
In the wake of political upheavals and the recent withdrawal of junta-led member states, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has convened an extraordinary session at its headquarters in Abuja to address pressing manpower shortages and institutional challenges threatening the bloc’s operational efficiency.
Declaring the session open, Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba, urged delegates to engage in inclusive and transparent deliberations guided by due process, equity, and the shared vision of peace, democracy, and regional integration.
He observed that while ECOWAS has made significant strides in promoting unity and economic cooperation, West Africa continues to grapple with escalating insecurity driven by extremist groups such as Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Mr Kabba, lamented the devastating human toll of these conflicts, citing rising civilian casualties, especially among women and children, and the destruction of schools, health facilities, and other vital infrastructure.
He warned that food insecurity, climate-induced displacement, and the growing number of refugees were compounding the region’s humanitarian crisis, calling for coordinated and sustained regional action.
The Chairman also commended ECOWAS Authority Chair and President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, for his ongoing diplomatic efforts to engage the Alliance of Sahel States, including Burkina Faso and Niger.
He said the outreach reflects ECOWAS’s enduring commitment to reconciliation, trust-building, and the restoration of democratic governance in the region.
In her welcome address, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, reaffirmed Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to the unity and stability of the ECOWAS community.
She assured that as the host nation, Nigeria would continue to provide the necessary support to ensure the organisation functions optimally despite recent political disruptions.
“As the host country, we remain committed to ensuring ECOWAS continues to deliver on its mandate.
Filling existing vacancies will enable the organisation to function at full capacity and strengthen its ability to respond to emerging challenges,” she said.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, highlighted the slow recruitment process as a major constraint to institutional efficiency.
He explained that while thousands of applications had been received, the volume had overwhelmed the current manual processing system, further slowed by staff attrition.
To fast-track the process, he disclosed that the Commission is seeking approval to engage international recruitment firms and implement an e-recruitment system, ensuring transparency and fairness.
Dr Touray added that the meeting would produce a new framework to guarantee equitable distribution of positions among member states without compromising merit, with special consideration for countries currently underrepresented in ECOWAS institutions.
The high-level session brought together ministers, ambassadors, and senior officials from across the subregion to deliberate on reforms aimed at strengthening ECOWAS institutions, promoting inclusivity, and advancing the bloc’s long-term goals of regional stability and integration.
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