Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has highlighted the important role of the ECOWAS Parliament in promoting regional integration through robust representation.
President Faye said this when he paid an official visit to the Parliament where he was given a splendid reception organized by the Speaker of the Parliament, Rt Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima and top officials of the Parliament in Abuja , the Nigerian capital on Tuesday.
Faye described the Parliament as the “hub of regional dialogue” and a key factor in strengthening “institutional cooperation and citizen participation in the regional integration process,” stressing that the visit provided an opportunity for him to engage directly with the leadership and members of the community parliament.
President Faye reaffirmed his support for the Parliament and recognised its importance as a forum for ensuring the involvement of citizens in the integration process. He assured the Parliament of his continued support and expressed his readiness to work with the institution in advancing the objectives of the Community.
He further stressed the importance of pursuing regional integration through efforts to prevent conflicts, support mediation, raise public awareness and promote stability across the region, even as he urged the entire staff of the Parliament to continue to serve the community with more dedication.
The Speaker Mémounatou Ibrahima, in her welcome address, described the Chairman’s presence in the parliamentary chamber as an important moment in the history of the institution, noting that Senegal’s longstanding tradition of dialogue, public debate and political participation resonates with the vocation of the ECOWAS Parliament.
She emphasised that regional integration should not remain merely a project of States, but should become a work of citizens and for citizens. The Speaker also highlighted the Parliament’s commitment to representative democracy, human rights, peace and security, while drawing attention to the need to strengthen its legislative and oversight functions and to build a stronger, more representative and more impactful Community Parliament.
Giving the vote of thanks, First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian Senate Jibrin Barau, expressed appreciation for the Chairman’s visit and emphasised that regular interaction between the Authority of Heads of State and Government and the Parliament would strengthen collective efforts to translate the aspirations of the peoples of the Community into concrete action.
He assured the Chairman of the Parliament’s full cooperation throughout his tenure, adding that his presence carries profound significance and reflects the importance he attaches to dialogue among the institutions of the Community and, in particular, to the place of Parliament in building an ECOWAS that is closer to its citizens.
“We greatly appreciated the attention you devoted to our Institution, your Institution. This visit reinforces our conviction that regular interaction between the Authority of Heads of State and Government and the Parliament can help strengthen the coherence of Community action, the representation of our peoples’ aspirations, and their ownership of the regional integration project.
“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,” Barau said.