by Mariatou Ngum
The Honourable Minister of Defence, Mr. Sering Modou Njie yesterday delivered a statement on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Mr. Baboucarr O Joof, at his office on Marina Parade, Banjul, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
In the statement marking this historic milestone, Minister Joof reflected on five decades of regional cooperation since ECOWAS was established on May 28, 1975, in Lagos, Nigeria. The Minister highlighted The Gambia’s significant achievements under ECOWAS frameworks, including democratic consolidation following the 2016 elections, economic growth exceeding 4% in 2024, and enhanced regional integration through various trade liberalisation schemes.
Minister Joof recognised the vision and commitment of ECOWAS founding leaders who laid the foundation for what has become “a model of regional solidarity, cooperation, and integration.” He noted that this golden jubilee provides an opportunity to assess achievements, acknowledge challenges, and reaffirm collective efforts toward building a prosperous and resilient West Africa.
Celebrating Five Decades
of Progress
The Minister went on to highlight several key areas where ECOWAS has made tremendous strides over the past 50 years. These, he noted, included in the area of political and democratic consolidation and heightened investment in human development.
Acknowledging Challenges and Looking Forward
Despite these achievements, Minister Joof acknowledged remaining challenges, including infrastructural gaps, regulatory inconsistencies, and persistent trade barriers that hinder job creation, wealth distribution, and the shared vision for inclusive growth. Nevertheless, The Gambia remains steadfast in its commitment to overcoming these obstacles in partnership with member states and institutions.
The Minister noted that this 50th anniversary comes during a time of global challenges including geopolitical tensions, ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, rising protectionism, and climate-related uncertainties. In this context, he emphasised that regional solidarity has never been more important, with The Gambia actively working with the ECOWAS Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat to strengthen coordination in promoting intra-regional and continental trade.
A Vision for the Future
While celebrating ECOWAS’s many accomplishments over 50 years, the Minister stressed the importance of not losing sight of the road ahead. He emphasised that regional integration is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve shared prosperity, peace, and sustainable development for all community citizens. Efforts must go beyond technical progress and be judged by how they transform lives through job creation, market opening, and unlocking opportunities for future generations.
He expressed the Government of The Gambia’s full commitment to the ECOWAS Vision 2050, with the Ministry continuing to provide strong direction in fostering regional integration through policy coordination, stakeholder engagement, dialogue, and capacity building.
