The President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, received the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero, on a courtesy visit at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, March 2, 2026.
The meeting covered areas of mutual interest and pathways for strengthened cooperation between the 12-member regional bloc and Cuba, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to maintaining open channels of communication and deepening engagement on issues of shared benefit.
No specific agreements were announced following the discussions, which the Commission described as constructive and exploratory in nature.
The visit is one of several external engagement activities ECOWAS has pursued in recent months as it seeks to broaden its international partnerships beyond traditional Western allies. Earlier this year, the Commission formalised a €16 million cooperation programme with Spain’s development agency, covering rural development, gender equality, agriculture, energy access, and institutional capacity building through 2028.
The Commission is simultaneously managing a complex internal landscape. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger officially withdrew from ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, and the terms of separation, including outstanding financial contributions and cross-border infrastructure project obligations, remain unresolved. More recently, ECOWAS mandated the suspension of Guinea-Bissau from all bloc decision-making bodies following a military coup in November 2025.
Despite these pressures, the Commission continues to pursue an active external relations agenda as part of its broader push toward its “ECOWAS of the People” vision for 2050.
