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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Government, has unveiled a series of activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Briefing journalists in Abuja, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, said a number of activities have been lined up to mark the anniversary, including high-level summits, public lectures, youth forums, and cultural exhibitions.
The events, Tuggar added, will hold at the Eko Hotels and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos respectively.
Tuggar said: “These events will reflect on ECOWAS’ journey, honour its founding fathers, and outline the future path of integration, peace, and prosperity.”
Speaking further, Tuggar recalled the visions of the founding fathers of ECOWAS, which he said, was initially focused on economic cooperation such as in the area of customs union, trade liberalization, and infrastructure integration.
He added that the transformation of ECOWAS began in 1990, with the deployment of ECOMOG to Liberia, signifying a shift into peace and security architecture.
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“Since then, ECOWAS has intervened in crises in Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, and more recently, in response to unconstitutional changes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.”
While saying that “ECOWAS at 50 is not just a celebration, but a recommitment,” Tuggar stated that “the ECOWAS Vision 2050 focuses on inclusive development, people-centred governance, and alignment with the AfCFTA and AU Agenda 2063.”
Tuggar however assured that institutional reforms were underway to improve governance, enhance delivery, and deepen citizen participation.
He listed notable achievements of ECOWAS to include regional peacekeeping and mediation leadership; free movement protocol and ECOWAS passport; common external tariff and trade facilitation; key infrastructure and energy projects across the region; youth, gender, health, agriculture, and humanitarian initiatives improving lives across member states.
Tuggar recalled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message to the sub-region where he urged all West Africans to remember that ECOWAS is not a monument, but a movement that expresses our shared values and destiny.
Expected guests at the ceremony, Tuggar disclosed, are all ECOWAS Heads of State and Government; all past chairpersons of ECOWAS; all past presidents of the ECOWAS Commission, among others.
