The Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has pledged his commitment to strengthening the ECOWAS Parliament and enhancing its role in promoting regional integration, democracy and political stability across West Africa.
Faye made the commitment during an official visit to the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
He described the Parliament as a hub for the West African integration process, particularly in promoting democracy, regional dialogue, political stability and greater participation of citizens in ECOWAS policies and programmes.
“As an assembly of the people, it promotes democracy and regional dialogue in favor of political stability, reinforcing the involvement of our population in policies and integration programs, including in matters of peace and social cohesion,” he said.
While thanking the Speaker of the Parliament, lawmakers and staff for the warm reception accorded him, Faye also commended members of the Parliament for their contributions to regional integration, especially in the areas of conflict prevention, mediation, monitoring of community policies, public awareness and legislative harmonisation.
“I would like to encourage all parliamentarians to pursue their commitment to work and to continue to serve the community with the same dedication,” he said.
The ECOWAS Chairman also expressed his readiness to support the Parliament in the discharge of its responsibilities.
“Finally, I would like to express my availability as the current Chairman of the Community to support Parliament in implementing its work program,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, welcomed Faye and congratulated him on his emergence as Chairman of the regional Authority noting that his visit was significant, particularly coming from Senegal, a country with a long tradition of political dialogue, public debate and democratic participation.
According to the Speaker, the visit underscored the need to make regional integration a project that directly involves the citizens of West Africa.
“Your presence illustrates perfectly the meeting between this history and the vocation of our community parliament: that of making regional integration not only a project of states, but a work by citizens for citizens,” she said.
Ibrahima said the Parliament was encouraged by Faye’s priorities, including collective security, dialogue, regional cohesion, economic and political sovereignty, institutional stability and reforms within ECOWAS.
She, however, called attention to the limited powers of the regional legislature, noting that the Parliament remains largely consultative more than two decades after its establishment.
“However, 25 years after its establishment, the ECOWAS Parliament remains essentially a consultative body. It does not yet possess the full scope of prerogatives of a legislative assembly,” she said.
She stressed that, strengthening the legislative and oversight functions of the Parliament would enhance the credibility of ECOWAS institutions and deepen democratic participation in the region.
She welcomed the Abuja Declaration on the review of the powers of the Parliament and Faye’s commitment to strengthening its role.
“The Declaration of Abuja on the review of the powers of the Parliament, your renewed commitment in favor of strengthening its role, as well as the legislative functions and oversight of the ECOWAS Parliament, find in your will a confirmed assertion for the credibility of our institutions and our shared future,” Ibrahim said.
She noted that the Parliament saw an opportunity to work with the ECOWAS leadership to build a stronger and more representative institution.
The First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, and Deputy Senate President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Jubril Barau, also expressed appreciation to Faye for visiting the Parliament.
Senator Barau, said the visit demonstrated the importance the ECOWAS Chairman attached to dialogue between the regional institutions.
“Your presence among us carries a particular significance. It reflects the importance you attach to dialogue among the institutions of our community, and in particular, to the place of parliament in building an ECOWAS that is closer to its citizens,” Barau said.
He said stronger interaction between the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and the Parliament would help improve coordination, representation and ownership of the regional integration agenda.
“We also regard this visit as an encouragement to pursue with renewal our responsibility, our reflection on the progressive strengthening of parliament’s overall role, on the conditions required to forge closer ties between our institution and the citisens of the community,” he said.
Barau assured the Senegalese President of the Parliament’s support as he leads the regional bloc.
Faye’s visit to the ECOWAS Parliament comes at a time when the regional bloc is confronting significant political, security and institutional challenges, with renewed calls for stronger regional cooperation, democratic governance and reforms capable of bringing ECOWAS closer to its citisens.
