ECOWAS, WACSI Sign Landmark Agreement to Boost Civil Society’s Role in West Africa
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the role of civil society in promoting regional integration, democratic governance and peace across West Africa.
The agreement, signed in Abuja on Friday, formalises years of collaboration between the regional bloc and the Ghana-based institute, providing a framework for joint action in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, civic participation, digital governance and institutional capacity building.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, ECOWAS Commission President, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, said the partnership underscores the organisation’s commitment to placing citizens at the centre of regional integration despite the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the bloc.
Describing the development as “a divorce without leaving the house,” Touray said the political exit of the three Sahel nations had not weakened the deep social, economic and cultural ties among the peoples of West Africa.
He stressed that ECOWAS would continue engaging citizens across the region, noting that civil society organisations remain critical partners in advancing democratic governance, accountability and sustainable development.
According to him, the MoU represents more than a formal agreement, describing it as a shared commitment to dialogue, partnership and collective action toward building a peaceful, democratic, prosperous and resilient West Africa.
Touray said the partnership comes at a time when the region faces multiple challenges, including unconstitutional changes of government, violent extremism, fragile political transitions, shrinking civic space, youth unemployment, climate-related pressures and declining development financing.
He explained that the collaboration would strengthen ECOWAS’ preventive diplomacy by improving early warning systems, promoting peaceful democratic transitions, expanding citizen participation, protecting civic freedoms, empowering women and youth, and advancing responsible digital governance in line with ECOWAS Vision 2050.
WACSI Executive Director, Dr Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, described the agreement as an “epochal” milestone that reinforces ECOWAS’ vision of becoming “an ECOWAS of peoples.”
She said the institute’s mission of promoting a peaceful, secure and prosperous West Africa aligns closely with ECOWAS’ objectives, adding that citizen participation has always been central to WACSI’s work.
Afadzinu noted that WACSI has collaborated with ECOWAS for nearly two decades on initiatives including the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework, strategic planning, civil society engagement in policymaking and consultations on the proposed ECOWAS Economic and Social Council (ECOSOCC).
She said the new agreement would strengthen the relationship between both institutions and provide a stronger platform for connecting civil society organisations with ECOWAS.
Despite the political and security challenges facing the sub-region, Afadzinu expressed confidence in the regional body’s future, saying WACSI remains committed to supporting ECOWAS in achieving its integration agenda.
She added that the partnership would also improve mutual understanding between ECOWAS and civil society organisations, describing the relationship as a two-way process that would benefit both sides.
Both leaders agreed that the success of the agreement would be measured by its impact on the lives of West Africans rather than the signing ceremony itself.
Touray urged both institutions to move quickly from commitments to implementation, saying the partnership is expected to provide a structured platform for collaboration on peace and security, democratic governance, human rights, civic participation, digital innovation and institutional strengthening across the region.
