By Melvin Tejan Mansaray
The Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Her Excellency Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima, has said that “peace cannot be decreed.”
Her statement comes against the backdrop of growing militarization of democracies in West Africa.
Madam Ibrahima was speaking at the Opening of the Sixth Legislature’s First Ordinary Session, 2026 held on Monday 4th May, 2026 at the Seat of Parliament, Abuja Nigeria.
According to the Speaker, these major gatherings shared a common objective: “to underscore the urgent need to consolidate peace in a world undergoing rapid transformation and geopolitical realignment.”
Speaker Ibrahima highlighted that faced with the multiplication of flashpoints, “no region is immune.”
“The message must be clear: peace cannot be decreed — it must be patiently built through dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect.
The ECOWAS Parliament must echo this imperative to our Member States and partners.”
Speaker Ibrahima outlined the plans of the Parliament towards this end by indicating that:
“ECOWAS has embarked on a deep reflection on its future.”
She said: “On 21 May, the ECOWAS Future Summit will be held in Lomé, Republic of Togo.
This summit aims to accelerate the implementation of Vision 2050 in light of current challenges.
It will provide an opportunity to reposition our Community by defining how regional integration — at the heart of our ambition — can be achieved, strengthened, and adapted to new realities.”