ABUJA, Nigeria — The president of West Africa's primary political and economic bloc has declared the region is in a "state of emergency," citing a dangerous spiral of military coups, attempted takeovers, and escalating security crises that threaten the future of democracy.
Omar Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, issued the stark warning on Tuesday during an address to the bloc's mediation and security council. His statement came just two days after a coup attempt was thwarted in Benin, the latest in a series of military power grabs that have destabilized the region. Last month, a successful coup in Guinea-Bissau ousted former President Umaro Embalo.
"Events of the last few weeks have shown the imperative of serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to invest in the security of our community," Touray told the council. "Faced with this situation, Excellencies, it is safe to declare that our community is in a state of emergency."
While the immediate implications of such a formal declaration were not detailed, analysts view it as a critical attempt by ECOWAS to restore its credibility and demonstrate resolve. The bloc has faced intense criticism for its perceived inconsistency and weakness in responding to a wave of coups that began in 2020 with Mali and has since spread to Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Gabon.
A Bloc Under Pressure to "Mean Business"
ECOWAS's reputation was significantly damaged in 2023 when it threatened military intervention to restore ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger but ultimately failed to act. This hesitation emboldened military juntas and led to the formation of the breakaway Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, which formally withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2025.
"ECOWAS is concerned that coups will become the new mainstream in West Africa," said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. "Now they try to show they mean business."
Touray's emergency declaration appears timed to signal a more robust stance, coinciding with decisive regional action. On the same day as his speech, Nigeria's Senate approved President Bola Tinubu's request to deploy troops to Benin at its government's request. Nigeria had already conducted airstrikes on armored vehicles during the attempted coup on Sunday, demonstrating a willingness to use force to defend constitutional order in a neighboring state.
A Region at a Crossroads
The "state of emergency" frames the dual crisis facing West Africa: an internal democratic recession marked by military takeovers, and an external security catastrophe fueled by jihadist insurgencies and communal violence that have killed thousands and displaced millions. The coups have often been justified by the juntas as necessary to address the very security failures that civilian governments could not solve.
Touray's call is for the 15-member bloc to undertake "serious introspection" and make urgent investments in collective security. The coming weeks will test whether this declaration translates into a coherent, effective strategy to halt the region's slide into military rule and chaos, or remains another unmet warning from a bloc struggling to assert its authority.
*Source: The Associated Press.*
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