On 12 June, UNOAU participated in the 50^th anniversary celebration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which was co-hosted by the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS.

The event, which featured remarks and discussions on “ECOWAS at 50”, was chaired by Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, ECOWAS Commission President, and joined by senior AU officials including the AU Deputy Chairperson, Selma Malika Haddadi, representing the AUC Chairperson, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and Ms. Hester Paneras, Head of UNOAU’s Head of Institutional and Operational Partnership, who represented UNOAU in the absence of SRSG Parfait Onanga-Anyanga. 

In his opening remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission highlighted some of the organization’s achievements over the last five decades, including the successful integration of over 400 million people in the region, facilitated by a common passport and identification card. He mentioned the advancement of intra-regional trade, through the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme.

Presenting the keynote address on behalf of the AUC Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson, Selma Malika Haddadi, congratulated ECOWAS authorities and described the organization as a testament to an enduring spirit of unity, resilience, and progress that defines and shapes the broader African vision. She stated that the occasion was a tribute to ECOWAS’s legacy, a clarion call to the future, and a reaffirmation of its pivotal role in Africa’s integration journey.

In his remarks during a panel discussion, Commissioner Bankole commended ECOWAS’s proactive approach to regional peace and security citing interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia.  

In her presentation, Ms. Paneras acknowledged ECOWASs exemplary role in maintaining regional peace and security and underscored the nexus between peace, security and development. She commended the strong collaboration between the AU and ECOWAS, especially in supporting those member states undergoing transitions, as well as other Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms. She reiterated the imperative of predictable funding for strengthening sub-regional organizations in their efforts in advancing regional peace and security, as well as development initiatives consistent with Agendas 2030 and 2063, and pledged UN support in this regard.