Resident and Permanent Representatives of the Economic Community of West African States are currently meeting in Lomé, Togo to review the commission’s 2022–2026 mandate.

The retreat which commenced on Monday, March 9, to end on Friday, March 13, also has in attendance, members of the cabinet of the president of the ECOWAS commission, Omar Alieu Touray.

Opening the retreat on Monday, Abdou Kolley, Chief of Staff to Mr Touray underscored the central role played by the resident and permanent representatives since the beginning of the commission’s current mandate. 

“You are the voice, the presence and the operational instrument through which ECOWAS engages on the ground to sustain partnerships, promote its regional priorities and strengthen the essential dialogue between the commission and its Member States,” Mr Kolley noted.

He added, “This retreat therefore holds particular importance. It is not merely an evaluation exercise, but a strategic moment for recalibration.”

The ongoing retreat focuses on the review of ECOWAS’ achievements. Participants are also expected to discuss future perspectives regarding their contributions to the implementation of the commission’s 2022–2026 mandate.

The retreat also brings together several outgoing representatives, and provides an avenue for dialogue and the exchange of experiences between former and newly appointed ECOWAS resident and permanent representatives serving across member states.

In her welcome remarks, ECOWAS Resident Representative in the Republic of Togo, Dewey Gray, emphasised the significance of convening the retreat at this moment for the community. 

She said, “Just a few months before the completion of the mandate of the current leadership of the Commission, this meeting provides a valuable opportunity to pause, collectively assess the progress made since 2022, and reflect on the perspectives that will further strengthen the effectiveness of our representations,” MsGray stated. 

The ECOWAS resident and permanent representatives are the primary interface between the ECOWAS commission and member states. The representatives serve as key diplomatic, political and coordination mechanisms within the ECOWAS region, and are tasked with advancing the regional integration agenda. 

However, recent political and institutional crises in some countries, particularly in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, have highlighted a number of constraints affecting the effectiveness of these representatives. 
The representatives currently face challenges relating to coordination, institutional ambiguities, limited communication and decision-making channels, and insufficient participation in early warning and crisis management mechanisms.

However, with the current mandate of the ECOWAS commission set to conclude in July 2026, the ongoing retreat offers a strategic opportunity to review the achievements of the resident and permanent representations since 2022, particularly in relation to the “4×4” strategic objectives covering peace, security, integration, governance and sustainable development, in line with the ECOWAS Community’s Vision 2050.

The retreat serves as a platform for assessment, learning and strategic repositioning. Participants are expected conduct a comprehensive review of their achievements, challenges and lessons learned from recent crises, while formulating recommendations aimed at strengthening the effectiveness and positioning of ECOWAS representations under the forthcoming mandate of the commission. The discussions will also contribute to shaping inputs towards the future of the region.