The President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, has presented the status of implementation of the ECOWAS Community Work Programme to the 2026 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.
Delivering what will be his final presentation to Parliament ahead of the end of his tenure in August 2026, Dr. Touray said ECOWAS economies remained resilient despite prevailing global economic challenges.
According to him, in a statement on Saturday, regional economic growth increased from 4.3 per cent in 2024 to 4.8 per cent in 2025, with projections indicating a further rise to 5.0 per cent in 2026.
He also highlighted improvements in inflation management, fiscal discipline, public debt management, and intra-regional trade, while urging Member States to sustain reforms and deepen regional integration.
The ECOWAS Commission President further outlined achievements recorded in the areas of peace, security, governance, humanitarian response, youth empowerment, digital transformation, and infrastructure development.
He disclosed that ECOWAS intensified mediation and preventive diplomacy efforts across the region and advanced preparations for the ECOWAS Regional Counterterrorism Force.
He added that the Commission also strengthened maritime and border security while maintaining engagement with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger under the Alliance of Sahel States framework.
Dr. Touray revealed that more than 5.3 million vulnerable persons benefitted from ECOWAS humanitarian interventions, while youth and women across the region gained increased access to entrepreneurship and academic mobility programmes.
Speaking on communication and information management, he said over 500 journalists across West Africa had been trained on combating misinformation and disinformation and their effects on peace and stability.
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He also announced the modernization of the ECOWAS Information and Communication Policy to address emerging issues, including social media and artificial intelligence.
In addition, Dr. Touray disclosed that ECOWAS supported The Gambia in establishing the region’s first National Response Centre to Combat Misinformation.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated West Africa through stronger regional cooperation, accountability, and citizen-focused communication.