Abuja: Dr Omar Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), says the commission has trained no fewer than 500 regional journalists in recent years.
Touray delivered his routine Community Work Programme speech, which detailed the commission’s activities, at the ongoing 2026 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.
He stated that the training of journalists from across the sub-region aims to combat misinformation and disinformation, considering the dangerous impact of fake news on peace, democracy and regional stability.
The president said ECOWAS has also reinvigorated its information management and strategic communication approach in a renewed effort to tackle fake news across West Africa.
“We are currently modernising the ECOWAS Information and Communication Policy to address emerging realities surrounding social media and artificial intelligence.
“ECOWAS has equally supported The Gambia in establishing the region’s first National Response Centre to Combat Misinformation, which is part of a broader effort to protect democratic institutions and public trust,” he said.
Reaffirming commitment to integration, he said ECOWAS will prioritise cooperation, accountability and citizen-focused governance for a peaceful and prosperous West Africa.
He also declared that the regional body remained resilient in achieving the goals of regional integration and economic development, despite mounting global economic and security pressures.
The sub-region is regaining economic momentum while confronting surges in terrorism, political instability, and disinformation.
He reported the sub-region’s economic growth improved from 4.3 per cent in 2024 to 4.8 per cent in 2025, with projections up to 5.0 per cent for 2026.
He attributed this progress to member reforms, better fiscal management, lower inflation, and stronger intra-regional trade under the ECOWAS integration framework.
“I encourage Member States to continue sustaining economic reforms that drive industrial growth, job creation and regional competitiveness,” he said.
Touray highlighted major ECOWAS efforts in peace and security, including strengthened mediation and preventive diplomacy in troubled areas.
He said preparations for the Regional Counterterrorism Force are advanced, addressing the threat of terrorism and violent extremism across the bloc.
“ECOWAS has also strengthened maritime and border security mechanisms to address security threats,” he said.
He said ECOWAS maintains diplomatic engagement with the breakaway Sahel countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—despite political tensions over their exit.
Touray further disclosed that more than 5.3 million vulnerable citizens across the region benefited from ECOWAS humanitarian interventions, particularly in conflict-affected and disaster-prone communities.
He said ECOWAS expanded empowerment opportunities for youths and women during the period.
These, he said, included entrepreneurship support schemes, academic mobility programmes, and regional development initiatives aimed at reducing unemployment and social exclusion.
Touray, whose tenure will end in August, will bequeath a legacy of firm determination to tackle regional security challenges and boost economic development.
