The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and China have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in regional integration, peace, security and sustainable development.
The commitment was made on Monday when the President of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop, received the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
During the meeting, Ambassador Dunhai reaffirmed China’s commitment to ECOWAS and its member states, stressing the need to deepen mutually beneficial partnerships based on mutual respect, dignity and tangible outcomes.
He said China attached significant importance to its relations with the regional bloc and remained committed to ensuring that its cooperation delivered practical benefits to the West African region.
In his remarks, Diop described China as a reliable partner of Africa, commending its longstanding engagement with the continent and its approach to cooperation based on respect for the sovereignty and political choices of partner countries.
The ECOWAS Commission president called for expanded collaboration in critical sectors, including education, infrastructure, security, digitalisation and agriculture.
He emphasised the need for both sides to prioritise practical and achievable initiatives capable of delivering measurable results, improving citizens’ livelihoods and supporting ECOWAS in fulfilling its regional mandate.
The meeting underscored the shared interest of ECOWAS and China in strengthening their partnership through targeted cooperation that addresses the development priorities of West African countries.
Both sides expressed commitment to advancing a mutually beneficial relationship that promotes regional integration, strengthens security and supports sustainable development across the ECOWAS region.
