by Nurat Uthman
The President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Omar Touray, has emphasised the need for tangible action on longstanding commitments to global peace and development.
Touray spoke at the Summit of the Future at the United Nations General Assembly, New York.
This was stated in a statement from the ECOWAS Commission on Monday.
Touray commended the UN Secretary-General António Guterres for convening the summit, noting its importance at a time when the world faces pivotal choices.
“The timing of the summit is particularly significant coming, as it does, at a time when our world stands at a crossroads,” Touray stated, highlighting the need to choose between a chaotic past and a more just, collaborative future.
He questioned the novelty of the Pact for the Future, asserting that many of its commitments have been previously articulated under various 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 remarked.
Touray stressed that for ECOWAS, the key to making the Pact meaningful lies in actual implementation.
He called for decisive action on issues such as peace and security, sustainable development, climate justice, and youth empowerment.
He urged leaders to focus on fostering regional unity and integration, warning against the dangers of disunity and conflict, particularly in West Africa.
“If we fail to deliver once again, history will look back to this summit not as the summit of the future but a Summit of the Past. This is the choice before us,” he added.
