The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on the newly installed leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to intensify diplomatic engagement with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), describing the breakaway nations as vital partners in addressing shared regional challenges.
The mandate was delivered during the formal handover ceremony for statutory appointees at the ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, representing Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, urged the executive leadership to bridge ties with AES members Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger despite their formal withdrawal from the regional bloc.
"Nigeria remains committed to working constructively with the new leadership and all member states towards a stronger, more integrated, and people-centred ECOWAS," Enikanolaiye stated. He highlighted the urgency of restoring cohesion, describing citizens of the Sahel nations as "brothers and sisters in our shared region with common challenges and aspirations".
The diplomatic push coincides with a major leadership transition within the bloc. Retired Senegalese General Birame Diop officially assumed office as the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, succeeding Dr. Omar Alieu Touray of The Gambia following the conclusion of his four-year tenure. Diop takes office alongside Nigerian diplomat Anthony Ogunjimi, who assumes the role of Vice-President.
In his inaugural address, Diop acknowledged the structural strain facing West Africa but emphasised that shared geography makes isolation impossible. "We have no other choice, because our brothers, our neighbours, our comrades have left us, but geography remains the same," Diop said, citing 5,250 kilometers of shared borders as reason to maintain joint action against terrorism and transnational crime.
Beyond peace and security, Nigeria’s representative tasked the incoming management with accelerating ECOWAS Vision 2050. The administration urged strict financial accountability, cost-effectiveness, and renewed focus on intra-regional trade, infrastructure, and job creation to justify member state investments through the ECOWAS Community Levy.
