By Lizzy Chirkpi
President of Senegal and Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has called for a stronger role for the ECOWAS Parliament in deepening regional integration and promoting greater citizen participation in the affairs of the Community.
Faye made the call on Tuesday in Abuja when he paid an official visit to the ECOWAS Parliament, where he was received by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mémounatou Ibrahima, principal officers and other members of the regional legislature.
Describing the Parliament as the “hub of regional dialogue,” the Senegalese president said the institution was critical to strengthening cooperation among Community institutions and ensuring that citizens were actively involved in the regional integration process.
Faye said the visit provided an opportunity to engage directly with the leadership and members of the Parliament and reaffirm his commitment to supporting the institution in advancing the objectives of ECOWAS.
He stressed that regional integration must go beyond political and economic cooperation among member states to include practical measures to prevent conflicts, support mediation, raise public awareness and promote peace and stability across West Africa.
The Senegalese leader also urged the staff of the Parliament to remain committed to serving the Community and its citizens.
Welcoming Faye, Speaker Ibrahima described his presence in the parliamentary chamber as a significant moment in the history of the institution.
She said Senegal’s tradition of dialogue, public debate and political participation was aligned with the core mandate of the ECOWAS Parliament.
Ibrahima stressed that regional integration “should not remain merely a project of States, but should become a work of citizens and for citizens.”
She reaffirmed the Parliament’s commitment to representative democracy, human rights, peace and security, while advocating stronger legislative and oversight powers for the regional legislature.
According to her, strengthening the Parliament would make it a more representative and impactful institution capable of better connecting ECOWAS with its citizens.
In his vote of thanks, First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Jibrin Barau, said regular engagement between the regional Parliament and the Authority of Heads of State and Government would help translate the aspirations of West Africans into concrete action.
Barau assured Faye of the Parliament’s full cooperation during his tenure as ECOWAS chairman, describing the visit as a demonstration of the importance he attaches to dialogue among Community institutions.
“We greatly appreciated the attention you devoted to our Institution, your Institution,” Barau said.
He added that the visit reinforced the Parliament’s conviction that sustained interaction between the regional legislature and the Authority would strengthen the coherence of ECOWAS action, improve representation of citizens’ aspirations and promote public ownership of the integration process.
“We also regard this visit as an encouragement to pursue, with realism and responsibility, our reflection on the progressive strengthening of Parliament’s role and on the conditions required to forge closer ties between our institution and the citizens of the Community,” he said.