The President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), His Excellency General Birame Diop, conducted a working visit to Togo on 12 and 13 November 2026. This mission is part of an effort to foster closer relations with Community institutions, strengthen coordination between the Organisation’s various entities and consolidate dialogue with stakeholders who contribute to the implementation of the Institution’s mandate at regional and national levels.

During his stay in Lomé, the President of the Commission met with the leaders and staff of the ECOWAS specialised agencies and bodies based in Lomé, Togo, notably the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF), the Infrastructure Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU), the Brown Card Insurance Scheme and the Office of the Resident Representative in Togo.

These meetings provided an opportunity for the President of the Commission to outline the key strategic directions and priorities to guide ECOWAS’s interventions and actions. He also called on officials and staff to strengthen their commitment, collaboration and engagement in order to build a stronger, more effective ECOWAS that better serves the people of West Africa.

Discussions with officials and staff enabled His Excellency General Briame DIOP to gain a better understanding of the respective mandates of the agencies and offices based in Togo, as well as their achievements, the challenges they face and their prospects for action, within the context of the Community’s strategic priorities.

Commending the major achievements, the President of the Commission stated: “I would like to commend the achievements of the specialised agencies and ECOWAS bodies based in Togo, whose work contributes to the realisation of our Community’s strategic priorities. I encourage you to continue your efforts and to strengthen the synergies and complementarity of your actions in order to increase their impact for the benefit of the people of West Africa. The Commission remains committed to supporting you in the fulfilment of your missions and counts on your professionalism, determination and sense of community service to further advance regional integration and the development of our Community.”

Furthermore, the official documents related to the 1.6 hectare site made available to ECOWAS by the Togolese Government were handed over to the President of the Commission. This plot of land is intended to host the future ECOWAS House in Togo. Preparations for the construction of the site’s fence are already well advanced.

The President of the Commission also met with the Ambassadors of Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria based in Togo. These discussions served to strengthen relations with the diplomatic missions of Member States and to reiterate the importance of cooperation between countries in achieving ECOWAS’s objectives.

Meeting with young beneficiaries of ECOWAS programmes, His Excellency General Birame Diop encouraged them to show greater commitment, creativity and determination to live up to the trust placed in them and to become role models for other young people.

Through this working visit, the President of the Commission aims to reaffirm the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to institutional governance based on listening, proximity, consultation and a focus on results. It also reflects the desire to strengthen ties between the Commission, its specialised agencies, its representative bodies, the Member States and the communities benefiting from the Commission’s interventions.