ECOWAS Summit: a turning point between political crises and economic recovery
The heads of state and government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met for an ordinary summit in Abuja on Sunday, 14 December. At the heart of the agenda were recent regional upheavals – a coup in Guinea-Bissau, a foiled putsch in Benin, the crisis in the Sahel – as well as major economic challenges for the sub-region. For many leaders, the meeting took place in a climate of “zero tolerance” toward unconstitutional changes, reaffirming ECOWAS’s commitment to restoring legitimate civilian authorities.
Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO)
The summit was held amid strong turbulence. The heads of state took stock of the Bissau-Guinean crisis triggered on 26 November, when the army overthrew President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. They reaffirmed that the presidential election of 23 November, initially won by Embalo, had been judged “free and transparent”, and called for a swift return to constitutional order. At the same time, the attempted coup of 7 December in Benin was condemned outright.
West African leaders welcomed the rapid intervention of loyalist forces (with the support of Nigerian, Ivorian, Ghanaian and Sierra Leonean troops) that made it possible to restore the government, emphasizing the need to preserve stability ahead of Benin’s 2026 presidential elections. Diplomatically, the summit took place while dialogue remains broken with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – an informal coalition of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger that left the organization in 2023. Sahelian ministers expressed their discontent in November, and the absence of representatives from these countries in Abuja reflects a persistent rift within the West African region.
Main political decisions
The leaders reaffirmed their firm commitment to the democratic process. The final communique read by the President of the Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, stresses ECOWAS’s “zero tolerance” for any coup d’état. For Guinea-Bissau, the heads of state unanimously rejected the military transition program proposed by the junta and demanded the restoration of a civilian government as quickly as possible. They called for a short transition that includes local political forces, and demanded the immediate release of all political detainees linked to the coup. To guarantee this return to constitutional order, the conference confirmed it would authorize its regional force to protect civilian institutions and political leaders in Guinea-Bissau. In case of non-compliance with directives, anyone obstructing the transition faces “targeted sanctions”.
In Benin, the foiled coup was condemned unequivocally. ECOWAS welcomed the rapid mobilization of its standby force; some 200 Nigerian and Ivorian soldiers had already been deployed to Cotonou in a role of “support, clearing and mopping-up” after the failed coup. Additional reinforcements (Ghana, Sierra Leone) were announced to support operations, reflecting regional solidarity. The heads of state hailed these interventions as an example of successful collective action and pledged to maintain diplomatic pressure on any attempt to destabilize.
Security and economic issues
Security, particularly in the Sahel, was the other major focus of the summit. The leaders recalled that the three Sahelian countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) formed the AES after leaving ECOWAS, which has hindered joint crisis management. They stressed the cross-border nature of jihadist threats and, as Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio pointed out, “no border can isolate us from violence”.
The need to continue discussions with the AES on security cooperation was affirmed, even in the absence of the Sahelian military regimes. At the Abuja summit, ECOWAS reiterated its commitment to facing these challenges, and the final communique included an in-depth review of regional security reports (attempted coups, conflict zones, etc.).