ECOWAS Remains Pillar Of Stability And Pathway For Collective Progress – Kabba.
By Ferdinand Olise
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers Alhaji Musa Kabba, has reiterated the need to accelerate the implementation of key regional initiatives, including the ECOWAS Single Currency, free movement protocols, and the Customs Union in the ECOWAS region.
Alhaji Kabba who stated this at the closing ceremony of the 95th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, in Abuja expressed deep appreciation to ECOWAS, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and all the participants for their dedication, insight, and collaborative spirit and highlighted their strong commitment to the Community towards maintaining peace, deepening regional integration, and promoting shared prosperity for the people.
“During our discussions, we confronted with precision the key issues shaping our region’s trajectory. Among other issues, we examined the ongoing security threats that jeopardise stability in parts of our region, including violent extremism in the Sahel, the spread of small arms, transnational organized crime, maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, unconstitutional regime changes, economic integration, and climate change.
“These threats, though challenging, are not impossible to overcome. Our discussions confirmed that the strength of ECOWAS lies in our unity, solidarity, and ability to use both diplomatic and operational measures to safeguard and advance our shared peace and security framework.
“We also reflected deeply on the political situations in some Member States and their impacts on democratic governance in the region. Sierra Leone remains fully committed to ECOWAS’s goal of a region where democracy, constitutional order, and the rule of law are non-negotiable principles”, he said.
On economic integration, he said the discussion focused on the need to accelerate the implementation of key regional initiatives, including the ECOWAS Single Currency, free movement protocols, and the Customs Union. He noted that in a global environment characterized by economic uncertainties, the region’s collective resilience relies on reducing structural vulnerabilities, increasing intra-regional trade, and promoting a competitive and integrated West African market.
“Sierra Leone is prepared to collaborate closely with all Member States and ECOWAS institutions to promote these objectives, particularly in supporting youth empowerment, innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable development.
“Also, our discussions on humanitarian issues and climate-related vulnerabilities revealed an important truth. The challenges in our region are interconnected-whether addressing food insecurity, displacement, epidemics, or natural disasters, we need to keep adopting a coordinated and proactive approach. On this, I commend the collective effort we have put into strengthening early warning systems, regional preparedness, and resource mobilization to support at-risk communities.
“As Ministers, we hold the primary responsibility for turning our leaders’ vision into concrete actions. We have developed specific recommendations that will be shared with the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. It is now our duty to maintain the momentum we have built here by implementing agreed-upon decisions, coordinating among our national and regional institutions, and keeping communication open as we face new challenges.
He on behalf of the government and people of Sierra Leone, appreciated the ECOWAS Commission for its outstanding technical support, and all briefers for their dedication, patience, and willingness to cooperate, noting that their contributions greatly improved the quality of the outcome of the meeting.
He therefore reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s strong commitment to ECOWAS, stating that, as they face the uncertainties of time, ECOWAS remains a pillar of stability and a pathway for collective progress.
“We must therefore continue to uphold the values that unite us and strengthen the mechanisms that enable us to respond effectively and decisively”, he added.
