Dr. Omar Saliou Lô: "ECOWAS must undertake bold reforms to guarantee its survival."

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In the wake of Senegal's diplomatic success at the ECOWAS summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, international relations and diplomacy expert Dr. Omar Saliou Lô calls on the sub-regional organization to undertake profound reforms to address the security, political and institutional challenges that threaten its future.

As Senegal prepares to assume the presidency of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, the academic believes this responsibility comes at a particularly delicate time for West Africa. "ECOWAS is currently facing legal, financial, and operational limitations. Ambitious reforms are essential to guarantee its survival," he asserts.

According to him, the first priority is to revise the 2001 Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the 1999 Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security. In his view, these instruments no longer meet current realities marked by terrorism, violent extremism, political crises and new transnational threats.

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Dr. Omar Saliou Lô also advocates for strengthening the ECOWARN early warning system and preventive diplomacy, particularly by consolidating cooperation with the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS). He believes that enhanced monitoring of at-risk areas would allow for the anticipation of conflicts before they escalate. The expert also recommends granting greater powers to the ECOWAS Court of Justice and Parliament to strengthen their autonomy from the community executive and promote better representation of the population in the implementation of the organization's Vision 2050.

Institutionally, he advocates for a reduction in bureaucracy in favor of more frequent field missions to better understand the root causes of crises. He also emphasizes the need to involve populations, civil society organizations, youth, women, religious leaders, diasporas, and community actors in security reforms and in building an "ECOWAS of the people."

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To ensure the organization's effectiveness, Dr. Lô calls on member states to respect the community levy, the main source of funding for ECOWAS. He believes that better mobilization of internal resources would reduce dependence on external partners and provide sustainable funding for peace and security operations. Faced with the rise of terrorism, he also advocates for the establishment of a standing army capable of rapid intervention during crises, as well as the creation of a community counter-terrorism brigade tasked with strengthening military cooperation and maritime patrols in sensitive areas to combat piracy and organized crime.

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The academic also calls on the United Nations Security Council to give greater consideration to ECOWAS's positions, enabling the regional organization to intervene more effectively when peace or constitutional order is threatened. Another priority mentioned is the reintegration of the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). According to Dr. Omar Saliou Lô, a dialogue based on a credible and consensual timetable is essential to restoring trust between the two organizations, in a context where security challenges extend far beyond national borders.

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Finally, the expert emphasizes that peacebuilding also depends on economic development. He recommends promoting entrepreneurship, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, as a lever for job creation, poverty reduction, and strengthening social cohesion in conflict-affected areas. “The pursuit of peace is a long-term process. It requires strong political will from states as well as sustained support from the international community. Without this dual dynamic, no lasting solution can be found,” he concludes.