ECOWAS: Touray Exits After Four Years Marked by Crises, AES Withdrawal and Regional Unity Challenge

ECOWAS: Touray Exits After Four Years Marked by Crises, AES Withdrawal and Regional Unity Challenge

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Dr. Omar Alieu Touray will leave the presidency of the ECOWAS Commission after four years marked by some of the most profound political and security upheavals in West Africa, including the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the regional bloc.

His departure, alongside members of his 2022–2026 team, comes at a critical moment for the organisation as it confronts the challenge of rebuilding regional confidence, strengthening integration and responding to persistent security and development pressures.

The ECOWAS Commission is scheduled to hold an official welcome and farewell ceremony for incoming and outgoing statutory officials in Abuja on Monday, August 31, formally closing the Touray era.