An informal meeting in Lomé has opened the door to a possible formal cooperation framework between the Economic Community of West African States and the Confederation of Sahel States, signaling a gradual thaw in relations between the two regional blocs.
Held on the sidelines of the Togo-Sahel 2026–2028 strategy under the auspices of Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the discussions brought together the foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger alongside Omar Alieu Touray and ECOWAS negotiator Lansana Kouyaté.
Talks focused on security cooperation, economic integration, logistics corridors and preserving regional mobility, with officials emphasizing the need to prioritize the welfare of West African populations despite political divisions.
Momentum for renewed engagement also emerged in Dakar and Cotonou, where regional leaders highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration.
Senegal’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Cheikh Niang, said the country has a “strong chance” of assuming ECOWAS’s rotating presidency as the tenure of Julius Maada Bio nears its end, potentially strengthening Dakar’s influence after securing leadership of the ECOWAS Commission for 2026–2030.
Meanwhile, newly inaugurated Romuald Wadagni called for deeper regional unity against terrorism, while the attendance of delegations from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger at his inauguration pointed to improving diplomatic ties after months of tensions.
Across the region, these parallel initiatives suggest growing efforts to rebuild dialogue around security, economic cooperation and regional stability.
