Breaking: State of Emergency Declared in West Africa Amid Regional Tension
- ECOWAS declared a state of emergency after warning that political instability and insecurity had reached unprecedented levels
- Dr Omar Touray told West African ministers that recent coups, rising exclusion and growing terrorist influence had pushed the region into a high-risk zone
- Sierra Leone’s Timothy Kabba said recent coups in Guinea-Bissau and Benin had exposed the fragility of democracy and demanded urgent collective action
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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has declared a state of emergency across the region.
Deepening political instability, rising insecurity and an alarming erosion of democratic norms were cited as the reasons for the declaration
Source: Twitter
The announcement was made on Tuesday, December 9, by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, during the 55th Session of the Mediation and Security Council at ministerial level in Abuja.
Touray warns region faces unprecedented risk
Addressing ministers, diplomats and senior officials, Touray delivered one of the bloc’s starkest assessments yet of West Africa’s deteriorating political and security climate.
He said recent developments show the “imperative of serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to invest in the security of our community.”
Touray disclosed that a country-by-country analysis before the Council ranked member states at an average risk level of ‘high’, driven by coups, attempted coups, political exclusion and expanding terrorist networks.
“Our member states show different risk levels, from high to medium, with an average of high risk, thereby demanding immediate and concerted action,” he said.
He noted
“the persistence of military interventions, as seen in Guinea-Bissau and Benin just days ago, non-compliance with transition norms in Guinea, growing erosion of electoral inclusivity, and increasing geopolitical pressures affecting regional cohesion.”
The Commission President warned that elections have become major triggers of instability.
State of emergency declared amid rising violence
With insecurity escalating across several states, Touray said the situation had reached a critical point.
“Faced with this situation, Excellencies, it is safe to declare that our Community is in a state of emergency,” he announced.
Touray called for more frequent ministerial meetings over the next year and insisted that West African nations must “pool our resources to confront the threats of terrorism and banditry, which operate without respect for territorial boundaries.”
He outlined key priority areas requiring sustained attention: the crisis in Guinea-Bissau, disruptions in political transitions, rising political exclusion and increasing humanitarian concerns.
Humanitarian crisis deepens across the region
Touray drew attention to worsening displacement, citing recent UNHCR figures.
“As of October 2025, approximately 7.6 million individuals are forcibly displaced across the region,” he said.
Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali host the largest internally displaced populations, while Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo account for the highest numbers of asylum seekers.
“We must therefore take decisions and actions that will reverse this trend,” he urged.
Despite the grim outlook, Touray reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to its citizens:
“We will continue to work harder to promote a peaceful, stable and stronger region for the overall benefit of Community citizens.”
Sierra Leone urges decisive action
In his remarks, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council of Ministers, Timothy Kabba, stressed that West Africa’s democratic foundations are under severe threat.
“The recent coup in Guinea-Bissau and the attempted coup in the Benin Republic are sobering reminders of the fragility of our democratic gains,” Kabba said.
He detailed his country’s diplomatic intervention in Guinea-Bissau on 1 December, noting that the engagement “helped ease tensions and opened the door for continued dialogue under ECOWAS’s guidance.”
Source: Twitter
“ECOWAS cannot and will not accept this development. They undermine everything our Community stands for and threaten the peace and security of our citizens," Kabba declared.
He insisted that the ongoing meeting must produce tangible results:
“Our people no longer have patience for commitments that remain unfulfilled. They expect us to confront these challenges with seriousness, unity and purpose.”
Leaders to meet under growing pressure
The Mediation and Security Council meeting precedes a critical gathering of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, who will deliberate on recommendations to restore stability amid heightened regional tension.
West Africa has witnessed a surge in coups, attempted coups and fragile transitions. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso remain under military rule, while Guinea-Bissau recently joined them. On Sunday, an attempted coup in the Benin Republic was thwarted.
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