Former United Nations Envoy to West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, has underscored the need for urgent investments in cross-border infrastructure and deeper regional unity to preserve the vision and viability of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Speaking at the 2025 Republic Lecture held in Accra on Thursday, July 3, under the theme “ECOWAS and its Survival: Impact of the Alliance of Sahelian States and the Way Forward,” Dr. Chambas stressed that economic integration and citizen-focused development are critical to sustaining ECOWAS.
“In times such as these, unity is our greatest strength. By standing together, we can build a resilient and sustainable subregional community that better serves our states and citizens, building an ECOWAS of the people and a subregion in which its citizens can move freely, engage in trade and investment, with efficient cross-border infrastructure such as roads, railways, energy, and telecommunications,” he said.
He emphasised that the free movement of people, trade, and investments backed by efficient cross-border infrastructure like roads, railways, energy, and telecommunication networks is essential for the region’s growth and cohesion. According to him, these developments will not only foster peace and security but will also contribute to shared prosperity among member states.
Dr. Chambas warned that without strong and deliberate efforts to improve regional connectivity and solidarity, ECOWAS risks weakening further. He pointed to the recent exit of the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES) comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS as a serious blow to subregional integration.
“These will not only contribute to peace and security, but also to shared prosperity. It will also make ECOWAS a strong pillar in the construction of a united Africa, which our youth today so much cherish. The exit of the AES from ECOWAS threatens this dream of subregional integration,” he said