Published: May 28, 2025
Monrovia – As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) commemorates its 50th anniversary, the Liberia Diplomatic Think Tank (LiDTT) is calling on the regional bloc to shift away from a traditional heads-of-state approach and embrace a more inclusive, people-centered model of governance.
In a statement released in Monrovia on Wednesday, LiDTT said that despite ECOWAS’s milestones in conflict prevention and regional cooperation, current security threats, governance backsliding, and some member states’ drift away from the bloc demand urgent reform. The organization stressed that now is the time to “incorporate citizens’ participation in decision-making,” a move it says is key to deepening economic integration, political stability, and democratic governance.
“The region cannot afford to rely solely on heads of state to shape its future,” LiDTT emphasized. “The People-centered Approach will accelerate inclusive growth, peace and security, and safeguard against the trend of constitutional manipulation and human rights violations.”
West Africa continues to grapple with high unemployment, growing insecurity, and sporadic authoritarian tendencies, even as ECOWAS tries to guide developmental progress. LiDTT believes addressing these issues requires robust democratic structures, civic education, and greater accountability.
“The electoral process must be improved, term limits respected, and citizens’ voices amplified,” the group said. It urged ECOWAS to proactively monitor governance across its member states and sanction leaders who attempt to cling to power by tampering with constitutions.
The think tank also called for structural reform within ECOWAS itself, including a stronger, more autonomous ECOWAS Commission and increased support to national parliaments. It wants to see mechanisms that close capacity gaps and improve the region’s Human Development Index (HDI).
“West Africa must do things differently to protect the democratic and economic gains of the past decades,” LiDTT noted, warning that persistent instability, terrorism, and political exclusion threaten to reverse progress.
LiDTT’s appeal comes amid heightened concern over political transitions and coups in several ECOWAS member states. The organization believes a new strategy rooted in grassroots participation and transparency will bolster ECOWAS’s credibility and ensure sustainable peace.
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