ECOWAS, UN reaffirm commitment to enhancing peace, security in W/Africa
R-L: ECOWAS Commission President, Dr Omar Touray, and UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Simão, during Simão’s courtesy visit to Touray in Abuja.
Abuja, March 2026 (TBL Africa) The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations (UN) have reaffirmed a commitment to enhancing peace, security and stability in West Africa through strategic collaborative efforts.
ECOWAS President, Dr Omar Touray, and UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Simão, made the pledge during Simão’s courtesy visit to Touray in Abuja.
The meeting was a strategic high-level consultation between them aimed at deepening collaboration toward achieving regional peace and security amid escalating regional conflicts.
Touray described ECOWAS as the central platform for regional dialogue, coordination and collective engagement, adding that the consultation focused on the evolving political and security landscape across the sub-region.
He also underscored the importance of sustained dialogue, preventive diplomacy and strategic alignment between regional and international partners.
“We are at a critical juncture, where sustained institutional leadership and calibrated responses remain essential to navigating ongoing transitions and emerging challenges in West Africa and the Sahel.
“This exchange reflects a shared commitment to coherence, trust and strengthened coordination, with particular emphasis on reinforcing African-led approaches, avoiding fragmented initiatives and preserving functional cooperation among Member States,” he said.
Earlier, Simão reaffirmed the value of close ECOWAS–UNOWAS collaboration in advancing peace, security and stability in West Africa and the Sahel.
He emphasised the need to chat credible pathways toward enduring political solutions within a “measured, coordinated and responsive framework,” in accordance with regional priorities.
