ECOWAS President declares China W/Africa’s most strategic partner

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, has described China as West Africa’s most strategic partner, adding that China’s multifaceted engagement with the sub-region would continue to deepen.

Touray stated this at the handover ceremony for a new multimillion-dollar ECOWAS headquarters complex, funded and built by China for the commission.

He recalled that China had previously partnered with ECOWAS in numerous areas, including strategic military equipment and vehicles to support the deployment of ECOWAS Standby Force activities.

“We may recall that this is not the first time the Chinese Government has partnered with ECOWAS to deepen our regional integration efforts.

“In the not-too-distant past, the Government of the People’s Republic of China provided some very important strategic support to our regional peace and security efforts.

“This and many more support spread around our Member States, make China a very strategic partner to West Africa,” he said.

Touray noted that the new ECOWAS Headquarters Complex would serve as a fitting instrument to drive the regional integration process and foster enhanced peace and prosperity for all ECOWAS citizens.

“As we accept the keys to the new ECOWAS Headquarters today, we are reminded of the legacy of our Founding Fathers, the Giants who established this remarkable Regional Community.

“We pledge to create an even greater legacy for those who will follow us, and for future generations, as we hold regional engagements on the ECOWAS of the Future,” he added.

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Yu Dunhai, said the project marked a historic moment in the three-decade-old relationship between China and the sub-region.

He recalled that over the years, the relationship between the two sides had continued to flourish on the principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.

“Our cooperation is beyond traditional infrastructure. Now we expand our cooperation in the digital economy, green economy and modern agriculture,” he said.

Nigeria’s Minister of State,  Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu described ECOWAS as Africa’s most dynamic regional bloc, renowned for its contributions to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, democratic governance and humanitarian response.

She added that the new ECOWAS Headquarters Complex would strengthen institutional effectiveness and improve collaboration among member states in responding to regional and global challenges.

“The construction and delivery of this iconic edifice stands as a powerful symbol of the deepening ties between Africa and China, anchored on mutual respect, shared prosperity and South-South cooperation,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project was executed by the Chinese Contractor, Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation (SCEGC).

Work began on the new edifice in 2023, was constructed at the cost of about 56 million dollars, and was completed within two years.

China built ECOWAS’s new headquarters, as it did for the African Union’s Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in line with its principles of South-South shared cooperation, development, and friendship.

The facility, which has a car parking area that can accommodate about 702 vehicles, is designed to accommodate all personnel of the ECOWAS Commission, along with some of its Project Staff.

It has a two-story Conference Centre with 800 seating capacity, state-of-the-art interpretation equipment, audiovisual speakers, rotating seats, a modern press briefing area, meeting rooms with interpretation facilities, and a training room, among others.