ABUJA, Nigeria – Liberia’s Senate President Pro Tempore has lauded the pivotal contributions of women to regional governance as she addressed the ECOWAS Parliament’s 25th anniversary celebrations on Thursday, describing their leadership as central to the Parliament’s evolution and its role in conflict resolution across West Africa.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the government and people of Liberia, the Pro Tempore praised the silver jubilee of an institution she said has “steadily shaped our region’s democratic resilience, collective security, and shared destiny.” She noted that as the Parliament marks 25 years of service, it is fitting to highlight the women whose vision and stewardship helped build and sustain it.
She paid special tribute to Mother Halima Ahmed, the first Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Parliament, calling her “a distinguished woman whose leadership helped lay the Parliament’s administrative foundations.” She also celebrated the current Speaker, Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima, whom she referred to as “my own sister,” saying her leadership reaffirms the critical role of women’s voices in guiding the region’s political and governance architecture.
This, she said, reflects the Parliament’s commitment to inclusiveness, continuity, and gender-responsive leadership.
Liberia Recalls ECOWAS Parliament’s Lifesaving Interventions
While highlighting women’s leadership, the Pro Tempore equally underscored the Parliament’s longstanding presence in Liberia’s stability story, citing key moments in which ECOWAS interventions helped steer the country away from collapse.
She recalled the 2002 ECOWAS Parliament Fact-Finding Mission, which helped restore communication among Mano River Union countries during a period of civil war, describing it as a “timely intervention” that eased regional mistrust and promoted dialogue. She also cited the Parliament’s role in initiating early peace contacts between the LURD rebel group and the Liberian government, calling those efforts instrumental in moving the country toward peace and constitutional order.
“Those interventions demonstrated that regional solidarity is not an abstraction—it is a moral duty,” she said.
ECOWAS Mediation in 2024 Liberian Legislative Crisis
The Pro Tempore also highlighted the Parliament’s more recent diplomatic role. In 2024, when tensions within the Liberian House of Representatives threatened legislative paralysis, ECOWAS Parliament acted as an impartial mediator, calming political tempers and safeguarding the integrity of Liberia’s democratic processes.
She said this intervention reaffirmed the Parliament’s enduring relevance and its responsibility in preventing governance breakdowns across the region.
Liberia and ECOWAS: A Deepening Strategic Partnership
The Pro Tempore’s speech builds on the long-standing relationship between the Liberian Legislature and the ECOWAS Parliament. Liberia has historically been both a beneficiary and a strong advocate of regional mechanisms that support stability and integration.
Key areas of ongoing cooperation include:
- Participation in ECOWAS legislative reforms and oversight forums
- Collaboration on democratic governance and security-sector strengthening
- Engagement in regional counter-extremism and maritime security discussions
- Support for ECOWAS mediation and early-warning systems
Analysts note that Liberia, shaped by its own experience of civil conflict, often pushes for stronger ECOWAS intervention capacity in fragile political environments across the region.
A Call for Stronger Regional Action
Despite celebrating past achievements, the Pro Tempore cautioned that West Africa continues to face escalating security threats, democratic backsliding, rising extremism, and economic instability. She urged the ECOWAS Parliament to deepen its role in conflict prevention and to more aggressively elevate the concerns of ordinary West Africans.
“Our region continues to face uncertainties,” she said. “The ECOWAS Parliament must remain steadfast in strengthening democratic norms and promoting peace.”
She concluded with Liberia’s reaffirmed commitment to regional unity and cooperation:
“Long live ECOWAS. Long live the ECOWAS Parliament. Long live regional solidarity.”
