The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has begun moves to fill vacant positions created by the withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso — the three countries that recently exited the regional bloc under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The ECOWAS Commission has requested guidance from the Council of Ministers on how to fairly redistribute the now-vacant roles among the remaining member nations without compromising competence.
Speaking at an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers on Recruitment, held Thursday in Abuja, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, said the exit of the three countries had created a staffing gap that existing regulations were not equipped to address.
“This extraordinary council is born out of necessity,” Touray said. “For the past three years, we have faced difficulties filling vacancies due to staff regulations that limit management’s ability to expedite recruitment. The current challenge lies in processing applications and scheduling interviews — a process slowed by manual methods and staff attrition.”
Touray revealed that an average of 13 personnel retire annually, while the sheer volume of applications has overwhelmed existing recruitment systems. The sudden loss of a significant number of staff members from the departing AES countries has only worsened the situation.
He noted that the Commission would present a new framework to ensure fairness, transparency, and equitable distribution of positions across all member states while expediting recruitment.
Also speaking at the session, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba, stressed the importance of fairness and inclusivity in the allocation of positions.
“Our focus should not only be on equitable distribution but also on transparency and shared regional vision,” Kabba said. “Every decision we make must strengthen our community’s credibility and reflect our commitment to democracy, integration, and peace.”
He further conveyed a message from Sierra Leone’s President and current ECOWAS Chairman, Julius Maada Bio, commending member states for their continued support and urging them to uphold fairness in the recruitment process.
In her remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for ECOWAS and its recruitment efforts.
“As the host Country, we reaffirm our commitment to providing all necessary support to ensure the continued success of the Organization in all its endeavours.
“We fully recognize the importance of this exercise as an essential undertaking aimed at ensuring that all existing vacancies are duly filled, thereby enabling the Organization to operate at its optimal capacity.
“Nigeria remains steadfast in its role as a dependable partner, ever ready to contribute meaningfully to the strengthening of our Community institutions and to the realization of the noble objectives for which this Organization stands,” she stated.
