Mahama invites Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger leaders to ECOWAS@50 Launch

President John Dramani Mahama has extended an invitation to the military leaders of Ghana’s Sahel bloc neighbours, to the official launch of the 50 years of ECOWAS’s establishment in Accra.

The invitation, which was extended to the leaders of Ghana’s northern landlocked neighbours by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is a move towards building bridges and collaborating to strengthen the West African sub?region.
Ghana is scheduled to host the official launch of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Accra, on April 22, 2025.
The event will mark a significant milestone for the West African regional bloc, which was founded on May 28, 1975.

According to Mr Ablakwa, the ceremony would be graced by key dignitaries, including the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria; the President of the ECOWAS Commission; Heads of State and Government from member countries; and representatives of regional and international partner organisations.

President John Dramani Mahama would host the ceremony and as part of the launch, ECOWAS would unveil its 50th anniversary logo and declare the official theme for the Jubilee Celebrations.
Furthermore, the launch would set the tone for a year?long series of commemorative events across all member states.

“After the launch, Ghana will host an Extraordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers on April 22 and 23, 2025 where Foreign and Finance Ministers of member states will deliberate on pressing regional issues, including the recent withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the bloc to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
“A comprehensive report will be prepared for consideration by the ECOWAS Heads of State,” Mr Ablakwa explained.

Samuel Ablakwa lauded ECOWAS’s legacy over the past five decades, highlighting its achievements in regional trade, movement of people, infrastructural development and peacekeeping efforts.
He pointed to successful initiatives including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme and major projects like the West African Power Pool and the Abidjan?Lagos Corridor as examples of meaningful progress.

The North Tongu Member of Parliament also noted the importance of celebrating the human impact of regional integration.
To ensure a successful celebration, Ghana has formed a planning committee chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is working closely with the ECOWAS Commission and other stakeholders.

Picture caption:
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa addressing the media

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