The President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Omar Touray has urged world leaders to take decisive action on longstanding commitments to global peace and development.
Speaking at the Summit of the Future at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Touray emphasized the need for tangible results rather than repeated promises.
In a statement released by the ECOWAS Commission on Monday, Touray commended UN Secretary-General António Guterres for convening the summit, which he said comes at a critical time. “The timing of the summit is particularly significant, coming as it does, at a time when our world stands at a crossroads,” Touray remarked, stressing the need to choose between a chaotic past and a more just, collaborative future.
However, Touray questioned the novelty of the UN’s proposed Pact for the Future, pointing out that many of its commitments have already been made in various past UN frameworks. “The fact that we have come back to the same old commitments suggests that we still need greater political will to deliver on the good promises,” he said.
Touray highlighted the importance of implementing the pact, particularly on issues crucial to ECOWAS, such as peace and security, sustainable development, climate justice, and youth empowerment.
He also called for stronger regional unity and integration in West Africa, warning of the dangers posed by disunity and conflict.
