Mahama invites Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger coup leaders to ECOWAS@50 launch as Ghana prepares to host historic milestone

President John Dramani Mahama has extended a formal invitation to the military-led governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to attend the official launch of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), set to take place in Accra.

At a press briefing on Thursday, April 17, 2025, Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the invitation was a gesture of goodwill aimed at rebuilding relationships and fostering regional cooperation despite recent tensions.

“This is a step towards building bridges and collaborating to strengthen the West African sub-region,” the Minister said, referencing the inclusion of the Sahelian trio, which recently withdrew from ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

The commemorative launch will be held on April 22 at the Accra International Conference Centre, marking half a century since ECOWAS was founded on May 28, 1975. Ghana’s selection as host underscores its long-standing role as a leader in regional diplomacy and Pan-African unity.

The high-profile event is expected to attract key figures from across the continent. Dignitaries will include Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, current Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, various Heads of State, and representatives from international development partners. President Mahama will serve as host.

The launch will also see the unveiling of ECOWAS’s 50th-anniversary logo and the official theme for a year-long series of Jubilee celebrations across the region. Following the ceremony, Ghana will host an Extraordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers from April 22 to 23. Foreign and finance ministers from member states will use the platform to address urgent issues, including the AES withdrawal.

Ablakwa acknowledged the significance of the moment. “While the withdrawal of the AES nations presents a challenge to our cohesion, ECOWAS must respond with enhanced diplomacy and unwavering commitment to the vision of a united and prosperous West Africa,” he said.

The Minister commended the progress ECOWAS has made over the past five decades, noting its contributions to trade, freedom of movement, infrastructure, and peacekeeping. He highlighted signature initiatives such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, the Brown Card Insurance Scheme, and major projects like the West African Power Pool and the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor.

For him, the true measure of ECOWAS’s success lies in its impact on everyday lives. “It is about the entrepreneur in Accra and Abidjan, the student in Lagos and Dakar, the peacekeeper in Banjul and Bissau — it is about people,” he said.

To oversee preparations for the celebration, Ghana has formed a Planning Committee led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in close coordination with the ECOWAS Commission and other stakeholders. While ECOWAS will shoulder the bulk of the costs, Ghana has pledged to provide full logistical and security support.

“This Jubilee is not just a commemoration — it is a call to action. We must use this occasion to rekindle hope in the ECOWAS vision and chart a bold course for the next 50 years,” Ablakwa concluded.

With eyes across the continent fixed on Accra, Ghana is poised to lead the ECOWAS@50 celebrations with a message of unity, renewal, and regional solidarity.