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ECOWAS Parliament Opens 2025 Session, Reaffirms Drive for Regional Integration

The ECOWAS Parliament has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening regional integration across West Africa, as it begins its first ordinary session of 2025 in Abuja.

Speaking at the opening, Speaker Memounatou Ibrahima emphasized the importance of collective action in addressing regional challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality.

“Integration is not an inevitable destiny but a daily choice we must make,” she said, urging member states to embrace and reinvent the ECOWAS integration agenda.

The session sets the tone for the parliament’s 25th anniversary celebration in November, which Ibrahima described as a moment to reflect on achievements and recommit to a more prosperous and inclusive West Africa.

“Integration and community life are long-term and everyday tasks… we must celebrate our victories inclusively alongside other ECOWAS institutions,” she added.

Looking ahead, the speaker said the parliament would prioritise trade and social development to drive regional progress.

Also speaking at the session, Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, addressed the recent withdrawal announcements by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, assuring that citizens’ rights and livelihoods remain a priority.

“ECOWAS will begin direct talks with the three Sahel nations this week on a contingency withdrawal plan,” Touray disclosed.

He revealed that a regional summit is planned to deliberate on the future of the bloc amid ongoing political and security tensions.

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