Africa must strengthen strategic positioning amid global power shifts – ECOWAS 

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has held a seminar to examine Africa’s strategic position amid changing global power dynamics.

The second edition of the ECOWAS Commission’s ‘Brown Bag’ seminar was held on Wednesday, October 7, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The seminar focused on the theme, “The New Has Not Yet Been Born: Global Africa in the Era of Chimerica”, with discussions centred on changes in the global order and the evolving relationship between China and the United States.

The event was organised by the Political Affairs Directorate of the ECOWAS Commission to promote knowledge-sharing and assess the implications of emerging geopolitical developments for Africa and West Africa.

The seminar was chaired by the Director of Political Affairs, Dr Babatunde Afolabi, while Professor Adekeye Adebajo, a senior researcher at the Centre for the Promotion of Research at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, served as the guest speaker.

Participants included staff of the ECOWAS Commission and Parliament, academics, diplomats, representatives of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, civil society organisations and other institutions.

Discussions following the presentation highlighted the need for African countries to strengthen their strategic positioning and deepen their understanding of contemporary geopolitical developments.