The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray, received the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, H.E. Ms Kaja Kallas, in Abuja on 23 March 2026, for a high-level strategic meeting aimed at strengthening cooperation on regional stability, integration and the implications of global geopolitical developments on West Africa, while advancing coordinated responses to emerging security, economic and institutional challenges across the region.
The meeting brought together senior delegations from both sides and provided a platform for direct, substantive and forward-looking exchanges on the evolving regional context, reaffirming the strength of the ECOWAS–European Union partnership and its central role in addressing shared challenges affecting the region and beyond.
In his remarks, H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray underscored ECOWAS’ continued commitment to safeguarding the fundamental achievements of regional integration, noting that the Community has deliberately maintained key pillars such as free movement, trade and technical cooperation in order to protect citizens and sustain regional cohesion, particularly in the context of recent political developments within the region. “ECOWAS has preserved the essential foundations of integration while continuing to engage pragmatically and constructively in areas of common interest,” he stated. He further emphasised the Community’s functional and forward-looking approach to regional engagement. “Our objective is to ensure continuity for our people while building confidence and defining clear modalities for sustainable collaboration,” he added.
In her intervention, H.E. Ms Kaja Kallas reaffirmed the European Union’s strong commitment to its partnership with ECOWAS and recognised the organisation’s central role as a pillar of regional stability and integration in West Africa. “The European Union remains committed to working closely with ECOWAS to address shared challenges and to support peace, stability and regional integration in West Africa,” she stated. She further underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation in a complex and evolving global environment. “At a time of increasing global uncertainty, cooperation between regional organisations is essential to ensure stability and to effectively respond to shared threats,” she added.
Substantive interventions were delivered by H.E. Amb. Abdel-Fatau MUSAH, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, who emphasised the need for coordinated and inclusive responses to the evolving regional security landscape, and by H.E. Dr Habibu Yaya BAPPAH, Commissioner for Internal Services, who briefed on the preparations that the ECOWAS Commission is making in passing EU Pillar Assessment and the reforms being undertaken in strengthening ECOWAS Commission’s internal processes on accounting, finance and procurement. .
The session was moderated by Mr. Jérôme BOA, the Director of External Relations of the ECOWAS Commission. Also in attendance were: Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mr. Kalilou SYLLA, the Acting Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Muazu UMARU, the Director of Cabinet, Mr Abdou KOLLEY, and senior officials of the Commission, including Directors and Heads of key departments such as Legal Affairs, Infrastructure, Information Technology and Human Resources, reflecting a whole-of-institution approach to strategic coordination and delivery.
On the European Union side, led by H.E. Ms Kaja Kallas also included H.E. Mr João T. G. Cravinho, European Union Special Representative for the Sahel; H.E. Mr Gautier Mignot, Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS; and Mr Salvador Pinto da França Rato, Member of Cabinet and Africa Adviser to the High Representative, alongside senior officials of the European External Action Service and the European Commission, reflecting a coordinated political, diplomatic and technical engagement.
The discussions addressed key priority areas, including regional peace and security architecture, governance, infrastructure development, digital transformation and institutional capacity-building, as well as the broader socio-economic implications of global developments, notably rising energy costs and food security pressures. Both sides emphasised the need to enhance coordination mechanisms and ensure that strategic commitments translate into concrete, measurable outcomes for Member States and citizens.
The engagement concluded with a renewed commitment to deepen the ECOWAS–European Union strategic partnership, strengthen institutional synergies and accelerate the implementation of joint initiatives, reinforcing ECOWAS’ leadership in regional integration and the European Union’s role as a key and reliable partner in supporting peace, stability and sustainable development in West Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
