By Kebba AF Touray
The President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, delivered a statement during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of ECOWAS, calling for the rebuilding of trust and the utilization of diplomacy in resolving regional issues.
President Mahama also described the current moment that the region is undergoing as critical, coupled with insecurity, political instability, economic disparity, and climate vulnerability.
President Mahama made the clarion call on Tuesday, 22 April 2025, at the official opening of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). President Mahama described the event as a solemn moment of reflection on the collective journey of member states to renew their commitment and the principles that bind them together for half a century, in unity, peace, regional integration, and diplomacy, and as their guiding compass.
ECOWAS, he said, was born out of a spirit of bold diplomatic engagement in 1975, and said the founding fathers faced fragmented economics and fragile political landscapes, but chose the path of cooperation.
“Their vision was clear. It was to pursue our development not as isolated nations, but as a united community. Since then, ECOWAS has grown to become a key diplomatic and political force in Africa. Through consistent engagement, dialogue, and mediation, our community has earned a reputation as a trusted actor in conflict prevention and resolution,” President Mahama said.
He outlined that the Commission has restored peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and has guided the Gambia through its difficult political transition, while preventing an electoral crisis in Côte D’ Ivoire and Togo. The Commission has proven that African solutions through African diplomacy can and do work,’’ President Mahama said. He asserted that they must not take this legacy lightly, but one that they must protect in the face of new and emerging challenges.
According to President Mahama, the Region is faced with a complex array of threats, violent extremism and growing insecurity in the Sahel, coupled with political instability, economic disparity, and climate vulnerability among the populations. He said it is during moments like these that diplomacy and solidarity should remain as ‘our’ first and strongest line of defense.
“The recent decision by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS, is a regrettable development. Yet even in this, continuous engagement must remain our star. We must respond not with isolation or recrimination, but with understanding dialogue and willingness to listen and engage,” President Mahama said. He said that since assuming office as President, he has prioritized diplomatic re-engagement with his Sahelian neighbors. He said Ghana has appointed a special envoy to the Alliance of Sahel States, and as the new president of Ghana, he has personally led missions to “foster trust, rebuild communication channels and affirm our shared aspirations.”
These efforts, he said, reflect the belief that they have a shared destination as a region and that unity should remain the best part in sharing prosperity and regional stability, to fostering mutual respect and advancing the common interest of the region.
Ghana he assured, stands ready to serve as the bridge to help renew the fabric of West African unity, and said they believe that through sustained dialogue, patient diplomacy and principled negotiation, ‘‘we can restore cohesion and rebuild trust in our community.” This period he said calls for even greater solidarity and understanding for the difficult challenges that confront “our’’ brothers in the Sahelian states.
Diplomacy, President Mahama said, is not only about resolving disputes, but it is about creating the conditions for peace, inclusion, and progress, as well as fostering mutual respect and advancing the common interest.
“In this regard, our commitment to integration through diplomacy must extend to economic, social, and cultural dimensions, whether we are harmonizing trade negotiations, facilitating the free movement of our peoples, or championing education and health cooperation. Our diplomatic instruments must always work in the service of our people,” President Mahama said.
He challenged that ECOWAS institutions must be empowered to act strictly, credibly, and transparently, and said the citizens must feel the Commission as a living community that understands the struggles and champions the hopes of the citizens.
“Our shared languages, music, literature and youth culture, are powerful tools that bind us together more deeply than any treaty can,” President Mahama said, and challenged that the 50th Anniversary be a turning point for diplomacy in West Africa, by investing more in early warning systems, mediation capacities and youth and women as peace building efforts. He concluded by calling for the positioning of the sub-region (ECOWAS) not only as a political and economic bloc, but as a diplomatic hub for the continent, and a module for integration, dialogue, and peaceful co-existence.
