The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Commission’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), will convene a Regional Consultation in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, from 24 to 26 September 2025, under the theme “The Future of Political Stability, Peace and Security in West Africa”.

The Bissau meeting forms part of a series of three regional consultations being organised ahead of the Special Summit on the Future of Regional Integration, scheduled for later in 2025, as directed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government at its 65th Ordinary Session held on 7 July 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria. The consultations are being held in the context of the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, marking five decades of regional cooperation and integration.

The two sessions will take place simultaneously in Accra, Ghana, and Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, from 24 to 26 September 2025. While the Accra consultation will focus on “The Future of Democracy, Constitutional Order and Good Governance”, the Bissau meeting will address the region’s priorities on “Peace, Stability and Security”. A third consultation is planned for Freetown, Sierra Leone, from 14 to 16 October 2025, focusing on “The Future of ECOWAS Partnerships and International Relations”.

The consultations will bring together representatives of ECOWAS Member States, civil society organisations, youth and women’s groups, the private sector, technical and financial partners, as well as academics and experts. They are designed to provide an inclusive platform for dialogue on the region’s most pressing challenges, to generate concrete recommendations that will contribute to a common outcome document entitled “A Pact for the Future of Regional Integration in the ECOWAS Community”. This document will be submitted to the Authority of Heads of State and Government for consideration at the Special Summit.

This process is firmly anchored in ECOWAS Vision 2050: ‘A Community of Peoples – Peace and Prosperity for All’. It reflects the commitment of the ECOWAS leadership to place citizens at the centre of regional integration, ensuring that peace, stability and prosperity remain the guiding priorities of the Community.