PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA —
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, stated that the regional legislature would hold a “befitting” commemoration of its achievements since its founding. The anniversary events are scheduled to take place between November 14 and 16, 2025.
Background: The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament
ECOWAS is a 15-member regional political and economic union established to promote economic integration across West Africa. The Parliament, inaugurated in 2000, serves as a forum for dialogue and consultation, aiming to harmonise the laws and policies of member states.
The celebration comes at a turbulent time for the organisation, which has struggled to contain a recent surge in military coups and constitutional crises across West Africa. These developments, which have seen key members like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger suspended or withdrawn, pose the greatest threat to regional unity in decades.
Focus on Technology and Youth
Speaker Ibrahima, who is from the Togolese Delegation, made her remarks at the close of the Parliament’s Second Extraordinary Session in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The session was preceded by a seminar dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI), highlighting the Parliament’s attempt to modernise its legislative approach.
Gambian lawmaker Maimouna Cessay, who serves as the Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarian Association (ECOFEPA), described the 25th anniversary as a celebration of the “solid foundation for integration and inclusivity” laid by the founders.
She, however, warned that leaders must engage the region’s large youth population, particularly concerning technological advancement.
“The challenges we are facing right now, instability, unemployment—these are the very challenges each nation is facing… Our leaders must have a very innovative mind to involve the youth in development,” Cessay said, stressing that dialogue and peace are essential to solving regional problems.
Ghanaian parliamentarian Eric Afful, a new member of the delegation, expressed his readiness to contribute to the regional body’s activities as it enters its next quarter-century.
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