By Omoyeni Ojeifo
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving longstanding cultural and geographical ties among West African countries despite the withdrawal of member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, gave the assurance while leading the country’s delegation to the first round of ECOWAS-AES discussions in Dakar, Senegal, which commenced on Friday, October 16, 2026.
The high-level meeting forms part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to restore regional cohesion and preserve the gains of regional integration following the withdrawal of AES member states from ECOWAS.
The discussions aim to prepare and align the strategic positions of ECOWAS member states before structured engagements with the AES at ministerial and technical levels, according to a statement emailed to PerSecondNews on Friday, by Mr Oluwafemi Adeniyi, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two sides are expected to address shared regional issues comprehensively, with the first round of discussions intended to establish common ground for subsequent negotiations.
The discussions are expected to produce concurrence on a draft General Framework Agreement between ECOWAS and AES member states ahead of the end-of-year summit scheduled to hold in Abuja in December 2026.
Nigeria’s participation underscores its role as a founding member of ECOWAS and its stated commitment to regional integration, peace and security.
The government maintains that the withdrawal of AES member states should not undermine the longstanding cultural and geographical relationships connecting West African countries.
The discussions in Dakar therefore represent an effort to maintain channels of dialogue and address issues affecting relations between the regional bloc and the Sahel alliance.
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