The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced a state of emergency across the region.
Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, conveyed the declaration on Tuesday during the 55th session of the Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level in Abuja. The meeting was convened in response to a series of coups and failed mutinies in the sub-region.
Touray emphasized that the recent developments underscore the “imperative of serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to invest in the security of our community.”
Last month, military officers in Guinea-Bissau seized control of the government, suspending the electoral process just days after a presidential election as citizens awaited results. On Sunday, soldiers in the Benin Republic declared a takeover of the government, prompting the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to intervene and restore constitutional order. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga stated that President Bola Tinubu acted in response to a formal request from the Benin government.
However, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a breakaway ECOWAS faction, accused Nigeria of violating its airspace and warned that it reserved the right to neutralize intruding forces.
“Faced with this situation, Excellencies, it is safe to declare that our community is in a state of emergency,” Touray said.
Elections Identified as Key Source of Instability
Touray highlighted elections as a “major trigger of instability” in the region, noting that despite ECOWAS efforts to establish constitutional convergence principles and support electoral processes, political practices continue to undermine democracy and regional stability.
With Guinea, Benin, Gambia, and Cape Verde preparing for upcoming elections, Touray stressed the importance of negotiating security cooperation with neighboring AES states, particularly given the ongoing threats from terrorist groups along shared borders.
“We must confront these threats with the attention they deserve,” he said. “We must pool our resources to tackle terrorism and banditry, which operate without respect for territorial boundaries.”
Touray charged the council with maintaining unity within ECOWAS amid rising geopolitical pressures.
