The vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo has hailed the Economic Community of West African States for their activities in sustaining peace in the West African region.
According to Daily Trust, Osinbajo stated this while receiving a delegation of the ECOWAS Commission led by its new President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The challenges of upholding democracy, ensuring peace and security, and maintaining stability in the region have been met head-on by ECOWAS, he said.
According to the VP, he is “proud of the way that ECOWAS has risen to its responsibilities. ECOWAS has always stepped up to the plate in every single situation where there are coups, our voices (member countries) have been united and strong”
He added that the hard work of ECOWAS is seen “in the transitions going on (in different countries that experienced coups) and the seriousness with which the rest of the world takes what ECOWAS says today.”
Osinbajo stated, in reference to the objectives that guide the activities of ECOWAS, that “we share the same objectives of shared prosperity, deeper integration, peace and security, and inclusive and sustainable development.”
“These objectives are very important and peace and security are obviously crucial to us. It is a challenge we face today all over the sub-region and especially in the Sahel.”
The Vice President acknowledged that “as a nation, a people and as a sub-region, we share so much in common and we have every tool it takes to resolve our problems.”
Regarding ECOWAS’s participation on the international stage, Prof. Osinbajo stated that it is essential to reiterate that opinions from the African Continent, particularly the West African regional bloc, must always be heard and considered when decisions are made.
