Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, July 5, 2023. The Fiftieth Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) at the Ministerial level held in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau on July 5, 2023.

In his welcome address, H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, highlighted that the region is still confronted with various complex challenges that continue to threaten the Region’s peace and progress. President Touray stated despite these challenges, considerable progress has been made with the democratic transition process in countries like Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali towards the restoration of constitutional order.

President Touray reiterated that efforts are in top gear to operationalize the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) to combat terrorism and set up a regional force to restore constitutional order where they are threatened in the region.

While stating that conflict and insecurity have caused the displacement of more than two million people in the region, President Touray said several initiatives have been deployed to address food shortage and malnutrition. He urged Member States that have not yet keyed into the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism (NEWRM) to do so to prevent attendant consequences of climate disasters in the region.

In her statement, H.E. Ms Suzi Carla Barbosa, the Chair of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council and Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, said the Fiftieth Session of the Mediation and Security Council has a special significance as it is the first time that an event of this magnitude is being held in a Lusophone country. She stated that members have the responsibility to monitor and demand respect for the ECOWAS mechanisms that guarantee the sustainability of the values of democracy and good governance, especially the Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security, and the Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, as well as the operability of the Early Warning System, both at the political level and in the prevention of human catastrophes.

Mrs. Suzi Barbosa noted the importance of mobilizing efforts around the financing and operationalization of the Counter-Terrorism Action Plan 2020-2024 and urged Member States to redouble national and community efforts to strengthen the resilience and adaptability of Member States, through proactive, urgent and sustainable community policies.

The MSC is holding ahead of the 90^th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and the 63^rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government scheduled to hold in Bissau on 6^th and 9^th of July 2023 respectively.