President John Dramani Mahama has extended an invitation to the military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to attend the official launch of 50 years of ECOWAS’s establishment in Accra. According to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, this gesture aims to build bridges and strengthen the West African sub-region.
The launch ceremony, scheduled for April 22, 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre, will be attended by key dignitaries, including the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria, and representatives of regional and international partner organizations.
Ablakwa emphasized that despite the recent withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), the regional bloc remains committed to its vision of a united and prosperous West Africa. “While the withdrawal of the AES nations presents a challenge to our cohesion, ECOWAS must respond with enhanced diplomacy and unwavering commitment to the vision of a united and prosperous West Africa,” he said.
The minister highlighted ECOWAS’s achievements over the past five decades, including regional trade, movement of people, infrastructure development, and peacekeeping efforts. Successful initiatives such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the West African Power Pool were cited as examples of meaningful progress.
Ablakwa also noted the human impact of regional integration, saying, “It is about the entrepreneur in Accra and Abidjan, the student in Lagos and Dakar, the peacekeeper in Banjul and Bissau — it is about people.”
The launch will set the tone for a year-long series of commemorative events across all member states, culminating in a comprehensive report to be prepared for consideration by the ECOWAS Heads of State ¹.
Ghana has formed a Planning Committee to ensure a successful celebration, working closely with the ECOWAS Commission and other stakeholders. ECOWAS will bear most of the financial cost, while Ghana provides full logistical and security support.
“This Jubilee is not just a commemoration — it is a call to action. We must use this occasion to rekindle hope in the ECOWAS vision and chart a bold course for the next 50 years,” Ablakwa concluded.
