The Economic Community of West African States has warned that growing global power rivalries, artificial intelligence and climate change pose serious threats to peace, democracy and stability in the subregion.
The Sierra Leone Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Timothy Kabba, gave the warning on Wednesday in Abuja while closing the 55th Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level.
Kabba said the region was not insulated from the effects of rising geopolitical tensions among global powers, stressing that Africa continues to bear the pressures of global transformation.
“Our region is not an exclusion from the vibrations that emanate from the contestation of the powers of the world in a multipolar setting,” he said.
He warned that artificial intelligence could deepen Africa’s vulnerabilities, noting that the continent remains at the tail end of global technological advancement. He also identified climate change and climate induced farming crises as emerging sources of instability across West Africa.
Kabba raised concerns over recent unconstitutional takeovers in the region, attributing them to governance failures and public discontent. He cited the attempted subversion of constitutional order in the Benin Republic on December 7, 2025, saying it reinforced ECOWAS zero tolerance for coups.
He assured that leaders had committed to restoring constitutional order in Guinea Bissau and preventing further military takeovers across the region.
While acknowledging claims that global multilateral institutions are weakening, Kabba stressed that ECOWAS remains founded on shared values, culture and identity.
Earlier, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, declared that the region is in a state of emergency due to escalating political and security challenges across member states.
