President Patrice Talon of the Republic of Benin has called for further regional integration across West Africa, in spite of the current crisis within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Speaking at the West Africa Economic Summit on Saturday in Abuja, President Talon acknowledged the current political and institutional challenges facing ECOWAS but insisted that these difficulties must not be a barrier to progress and should not stop West Africa from pushing ahead with its regional integration agenda.
“This summit is timely as our region comes together for integration,” he said. “ECOWAS remains a perfect example of regional cooperation, but unfortunately, it is in crisis. This, however, should not prohibit us from pursuing further integration.”
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic, earlier in the year, left the regional bloc and have now formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), marking a shift in West African integration.
However, Talon emphasised that the path to meaningful integration lies in leadership accountability and the collective will of stakeholders.
“Our main blockage is not a lack of ideas, but the inability to realise them. It is the responsibility of leaders, from the heads of state to ministers and government agencies, to turn ideas into reality,” he stated.
The Beninese leader commended Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who is serving as the chairman of ECOWAS, for his efforts toward regional unification.
However, he emphasised that these efforts must be backed by broader regional and international support.
Talon also pointed to key challenges impeding regional trade and integration, including language barriers, border delays, and underperforming infrastructure.
“Despite heavy investments, infrastructure like the Lagos-Abidjan road still faces obstacles, checkpoints, and border harassment; it takes over a day to travel to Abidjan. A businessperson should be able to do that in a few hours,” he lamented.
He warned that unless these issues are addressed, poverty will continue to hinder the region’s development.
“Our region will remain poor if we do not remove these blockades. Without tackling poverty, democracy and integration will remain unattainable,” he added.