{"id":120487,"date":"2025-09-25T10:08:04","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T10:08:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/?p=120487"},"modified":"2025-09-25T10:08:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T10:08:04","slug":"ecowas-to-convene-regional-consultation-in-bissau-to-amplify-citizens-voices-towards-a-pact-for-peace-security-and-regional-integration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/?p=120487","title":{"rendered":"ECOWAS to convene regional consultation in Bissau to amplify citizens\u2019 voices towards a pact for peace, security and regional integration"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Commission\u2019s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), has launched in Bissau a three-day Regional Consultation on Political Stability, Peace and Security (24\u201326 September 2025). The dialogue brings together Security Experts, youth and women\u2019s networks, peacebuilding practitioners, civil society, academia, and development partners to shape a citizen-driven vision for the future of West Africa.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Organised simultaneously with a consultation in Accra, Ghana on democracy and governance, the Bissau and Accra meetings together represent a decisive step in preparing the \u201cPact for the Future of Regional Integration in ECOWAS\u201d. This document will be submitted to the Authority of Heads of State and Government at the forthcoming Special Summit. The consultations are designed to amplify citizens\u2019 voices and ensure that future ECOWAS policies on peace and security are rooted in the realities and aspirations of West African communities.<\/p>\n<p>Opening the Bissau session, Dr. Adamu Mohammed Sani, Acting Head of the ECOWAS Peace Support Operations Division, welcomed participants and underlined the inclusive nature of the dialogue. \u201cThis consultation brings together a broad spectrum of West African citizens \u2013 from professional bodies and private sector actors to women and youth networks \u2013 to reflect on the evolving context of governance, peace, and security. It is expected to provide concrete responses to today\u2019s challenges while building aspirations that guide future generations of ECOWAS citizens,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n<p>In her Welcome Address on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Her Excellency Ambassador Ngozi Ukaeje, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Guinea-Bissau, emphasized the significance of hosting the consultation in Bissau. \u201cThe reflections we will share here are not only about today\u2019s challenges, but about charting a forward-looking path that secures the aspirations of future generations of West Africans,\u201d she affirmed.<\/p>\n<p>Delivering the Overview of the Consultation, Rt. Hon. Hakeen JAMIU stressed the need for practical solutions to persistent threats such as violent extremism, organized crime, illicit arms flows, and governance deficits. \u201cWhat we decide here must connect directly to the daily realities of West African citizens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>As part of the Goodwill Messages, Madame Salama Njie, National Coordinator of West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), The Gambia, reaffirmed the commitment of regional peacebuilding networks: \u201cBy working together \u2013 governments, institutions, and citizens \u2013 we can overcome today\u2019s trials and build a West Africa that is more peaceful, inclusive, and united.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Also delivering a goodwill message, Madame Beatrice Baiden of Ghana, speaking on behalf of women, youth, and children\u2019s organizations, called for inclusivity to translate into real change. \u201cWe cannot afford for these consultations to become just another meeting of meetings. This must be a platform where the aspirations of women, youth, and children are translated into inclusive and lasting solutions for West Africa,\u201d she declared.<\/p>\n<p>By convening in both Bissau and Accra, ECOWAS is ensuring that the future Pact reflects the full spectrum of regional priorities: democracy, governance, stability, peace, and security. The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of 50 years of regional integration, marked by achievements such as the free movement of persons, a community trade zone, collective peacekeeping, and joint responses to health and security crises. These consultations offer an opportunity to renew that legacy and adapt it to the demands of today\u2019s geopolitical and security context.<\/p>\n<p>By anchoring regional policy in the perspectives and aspirations of its citizens, the consultations are expected to consolidate democratic governance, enhance peace and security frameworks, and foster deeper regional cohesion. Above all, they reaffirm the vision of ECOWAS as a true Community of Peoples \u2013 inclusive, resilient, and committed to peace, stability, and shared prosperity across generations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Commission\u2019s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), has launched in Bissau a three-day Regional Consultation on Political Stability, Peace and Security (24\u201326 September 2025). The dialogue brings together Security Experts, youth and women\u2019s networks, peacebuilding practitioners, civil society, academia, and development partners to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":120488,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[300,480,12,35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-news","category-info-cedeao-2","category-news","category-press-releases"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120487","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=120487"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120487\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":120491,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120487\/revisions\/120491"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/120488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=120487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=120487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecowas.int\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=120487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}