Updated: ECOWAS declares state of emergency across West Africa

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has declared a state of emergency across the region as political instability, coups, and security threats continue to rise.

ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Touray, announced the decision on Tuesday during the 55th Session of the Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level in Abuja.

Touray said recent developments across member states show the urgent need for ECOWAS to reassess the future of democracy in the region and invest more in collective security.

He told ministers and diplomats that the security situation has worsened, with multiple countries showing “high risk” levels, according to documents presented at the meeting.

He listed several major concerns, including repeated military interventions such as the recent events in Guinea-Bissau and the failed coup in Benin; non-compliance with transition timelines in Guinea; shrinking political space during elections; the spread of terrorist and armed groups; and rising geopolitical tensions affecting regional unity.

Touray warned that elections have now become a major source of instability in many countries. He also highlighted attempted coups, negotiations with the Alliance of Sahel States, and the need for stronger cooperation against terrorism and cross-border crime.

“Faced with this situation, it is safe to declare that our community is in a state of emergency,” he said.

Touray called for more frequent meetings of the Security Council and urged member states to combine resources to fight terrorism and banditry, which ignore national boundaries.

He also raised concerns about worsening humanitarian conditions, citing UNHCR data showing 7.6 million forcibly displaced people in West Africa as of October 2025 — including more than 6.5 million internally displaced persons. Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have the highest displacement figures.

Despite the challenges, he assured citizens that ECOWAS remains committed to promoting peace and stability. He also urged members to uphold constitutional order and protect democratic institutions.

Sierra Leone’s Foreign Affairs Minister and Chair of the Council of Ministers, Timothy Kabba, also addressed the session. He said the recent coup in Guinea-Bissau and the attempted coup in Benin are reminders of how fragile democracy has become in the region.

Kabba noted that he led a high-level mission to Guinea-Bissau on December 1 to engage military and political actors. He said ECOWAS will not accept actions that threaten regional peace.

He urged the Council to produce concrete solutions, saying citizens are tired of promises without results.

The meeting comes ahead of the ECOWAS Heads of State Summit, where regional leaders are expected to consider the Council’s recommendations.

West Africa is currently facing one of its most unstable periods in years, with coups, attempted coups, and weak political transitions in countries such as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau and, most recently, an attempted coup in the Benin Republic.

These developments highlight deepening political tensions, weakened constitutional order, and the growing influence of armed groups across the region.