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THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AUTHORITY OF ECOWAS HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT TALKS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF MAURITANIA ON REGIONAL SECURITY

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AUTHORITY OF ECOWAS HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT TALKS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF MAURITANIA ON REGIONAL SECURITY

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AUTHORITY OF ECOWAS HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT TALKS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF MAURITANIA ON REGIONAL SECURITY
Jun 17, 2026 2 min read

H.E. PRESIDENT DR. JULIUS MAADA BIO, CHAIRMAN OF THE AUTHORITY OF ECOWAS HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE, HELD HIGH-LEVEL TALKS WITH H.E PRESIDENT MOHAMED OULD CHEIKH EL GHAZOUANI OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF MAURITANIA ON REGIONAL SECURITY, COOPERATION, AND DEVELOPMENT

Nouakchott, Mauritania, 15 – 16 June 2026 : The two leaders discussed the evolving security situation in the Sahel and West Africa, including terrorism, violent extremism, organized crime, climate-related pressures, food insecurity, and population displacement. President BIO was accompanied by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY, and former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Mohamed Sidi TUNIS.

As Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, President BIO reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening regional solidarity and advancing practical solutions for peace, stability, and sustainable development. He described Mauritania as a strategic bridge between the Maghreb, the Sahel, and West Africa, noting that its experience in combating terrorism and strengthening border security makes it an indispensable partner in regional peace efforts. President Bio underscored the importance of deepening cooperation between Mauritania and ECOWAS, noting that stronger institutional engagement would help address shared challenges, expand trade and investment, facilitate the movement of people and goods, and advance regional integration.

The Mauritanian leader also expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel, pledged continued cooperation with ECOWAS, and proposed a special regional summit to address emerging security threats across West Africa and the Sahel. The meeting concluded with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation between Mauritania and ECOWAS and working together to advance peace, security, stability, regional integration, and sustainable development across West Africa and the Sahel.

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H.E. GENERAL BIRAME DIOP AND HON. JUSTICE RICARDO CLÁUDIO MON-TEIRO GONÇALVES ADVANCE A SHARED VISION FOR STRONGER INSTITUTI-ONS, RULE OF LAW AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. General Birame Diop, and the President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, have reaf-firmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation among ECOWAS institutions, promoting the rule of law and advancing regional integration during the Commission President’s official visit to the Court in Abuja. The meeting underscored a shared determination to reinforce institutional effectiveness, democratic governance and citizen-centred development as key pillars of the ECO-WAS Vision 2050. Addressing members of the Court and the Commission delegation, H.E. General Birame Diop emphasized that ECOWAS stands at a critical juncture in its history and must collectively res-pond to the challenges facing the region across the areas of integration, peace and security, governance, democracy and sustainable development. He stressed that strong institutions remain indispensable to the success of the regional project and called for closer collaboration among the Community’s principal organs while preserving their respective mandates and inde-pendence. The President of the Commission further highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between the executive, judicial and legislative institutions of ECOWAS. Drawing a pa-rallel with the governance structures of modern states, he noted that effective regional gover-nance depends on institutions that are independent, credible and capable, while working toge-ther in pursuit of a common objective: the prosperity, stability and well-being of the peoples of West Africa. In his remarks, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves welcomed the Commission President to the Court and expressed confidence that the new leadership of the Commission would provide renewed momentum to the Community and its institutions. He underscored the importance of solidarity, fraternity and mutual support among ECOWAS institutions, noting that a stronger Community can only be built through closer cooperation and a shared com-mitment to serving the citizens of the region. The President of the Court also reaffirmed the judiciary’s readiness to contribute to the realiza-tion of the Community’s objectives and praised the Commission President’s distinguished in-ternational experience and leadership credentials. He expressed optimism that the new man-date would further strengthen the foundations of regional integration and enhance the effec-tiveness of ECOWAS in addressing the expectations of its Member States and citizens. The discussions highlighted a strong convergence of views on the central role of the rule of law, institutional dialogue and mutual respect in advancing the ECOWAS integration agenda. Both leaders emphasized that independent institutions are not instruments of competition but part-ners in a common endeavour to build a more peaceful, democratic, prosperous and resilient West Africa. The visit further provided an opportunity for both institutions to reaffirm their commitment to deeper engagement, stronger coordination and continuous dialogue in support of the Commu-nity’s strategic priorities. It also reflected a shared understanding that the success of ECOWAS depends not only on the strength of its institutions but also on their ability to work collectively in delivering tangible benefits to the citizens they serve.
September 21, 2026 0

H.E. GENERAL BIRAME DIOP AND HON. JUSTICE RICARDO CLÁUDIO MON-TEIRO GONÇALVES ADVANCE A SHARED VISION FOR STRONGER INSTITUTI-ONS, RULE OF LAW AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. General Birame Diop, and the President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, have reaf-firmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation among ECOWAS institutions, promoting the rule of law and advancing regional integration during the Commission President’s official visit to the Court in Abuja. The meeting underscored a shared determination to reinforce institutional effectiveness, democratic governance and citizen-centred development as key pillars of the ECO-WAS Vision 2050. Addressing members of the Court and the Commission delegation, H.E. General Birame Diop emphasized that ECOWAS stands at a critical juncture in its history and must collectively res-pond to the challenges facing the region across the areas of integration, peace and security, governance, democracy and sustainable development. He stressed that strong institutions remain indispensable to the success of the regional project and called for closer collaboration among the Community’s principal organs while preserving their respective mandates and inde-pendence. The President of the Commission further highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between the executive, judicial and legislative institutions of ECOWAS. Drawing a pa-rallel with the governance structures of modern states, he noted that effective regional gover-nance depends on institutions that are independent, credible and capable, while working toge-ther in pursuit of a common objective: the prosperity, stability and well-being of the peoples of West Africa. In his remarks, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves welcomed the Commission President to the Court and expressed confidence that the new leadership of the Commission would provide renewed momentum to the Community and its institutions. He underscored the importance of solidarity, fraternity and mutual support among ECOWAS institutions, noting that a stronger Community can only be built through closer cooperation and a shared com-mitment to serving the citizens of the region. The President of the Court also reaffirmed the judiciary’s readiness to contribute to the realiza-tion of the Community’s objectives and praised the Commission President’s distinguished in-ternational experience and leadership credentials. He expressed optimism that the new man-date would further strengthen the foundations of regional integration and enhance the effec-tiveness of ECOWAS in addressing the expectations of its Member States and citizens. The discussions highlighted a strong convergence of views on the central role of the rule of law, institutional dialogue and mutual respect in advancing the ECOWAS integration agenda. Both leaders emphasized that independent institutions are not instruments of competition but part-ners in a common endeavour to build a more peaceful, democratic, prosperous and resilient West Africa. The visit further provided an opportunity for both institutions to reaffirm their commitment to deeper engagement, stronger coordination and continuous dialogue in support of the Commu-nity’s strategic priorities. It also reflected a shared understanding that the success of ECOWAS depends not only on the strength of its institutions but also on their ability to work collectively in delivering tangible benefits to the citizens they serve.

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