ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray hosted four strategic delegations in Abuja on 7 July 2025, focusing on functional integration and regional development.
The meetings aimed to advance cooperation in fiscal governance, scientific diplomacy, legal frameworks, and infrastructure financing, aligning with the bloc’s Vision 2050 and strategic objectives.
Discussions commenced with the Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa (ABWA), led by President Mor Dieng. Both parties explored renewing their Memorandum of Understanding to harmonise accounting standards and enhance transparency in public financial management across member states. President Touray emphasised the critical role of finance professionals in governance, advocating for their work to remain apolitical. A formalised framework for advancing shared financial priorities was agreed upon.
Subsequently, President Touray met with Dr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). Dr. Floyd commended ECOWAS members for achieving full ratification of the Treaty and highlighted West Africa’s operational monitoring stations. Their talks centred on strengthening collaboration in disaster risk reduction, scientific training, and peaceful nuclear technology applications. The ECOWAS President proposed institutionalising technical cooperation to bolster regional resilience.
The West African Bar Association (WABA) leadership presented proposals for renewed collaboration with ECOWAS on regional legal frameworks, electoral justice, and constitutional stability. President Touray underscored the importance of impartial legal institutions for democratic governance and rights protection within the community. He encouraged WABA to enhance its inclusivity, clarify its institutional base, and maintain principled alignment with ECOWAS legal norms.
The final meeting involved the Steering Committee of the ECOWAS Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU), chaired by Commissioner Sediko Douka. Discussions addressed project preparation challenges, regulatory alignment, and financing mechanisms, including the proposed Fund for the Development and Financing of the Transport and Energy Sectors (FODETE). This fund aims to mobilise resources through levies on agricultural and extractive exports. President Touray advised deeper consultation with national authorities to ensure fairness in contributions and benefits. He also stressed the urgency of resilient health partnerships following major funding withdrawals.
Concluding the consultations, President Touray reaffirmed the centrality of citizen welfare to regional cooperation, stating that each engagement moved ECOWAS closer to its aspiration of a united region delivering dignity and opportunity. The day’s outcomes reinforced the Commission’s commitment to tangible progress across multiple integration pillars.
