Representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the United States met with Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), on February 13, 2026, in New York. The meeting was part of ongoing cooperation between ECOWAS and UNOWAS to address peace, security, governance, and sustainable development challenges in West Africa.
The main topic discussed was the renewal of UNOWAS’ mandate, which expired on January 31, 2026. The mandate is currently under review by the UN Security Council. Participants also addressed regional socio-political and security issues and stressed the importance of preventive diplomacy and coordinated engagement.
Leonardo Santos Simão provided an update on negotiations within the Security Council regarding the renewal process. He highlighted key issues being considered as well as procedural steps required for concluding the process.
Ambassador Kinza Jawara-Njai, ECOWAS Permanent Observer to the United Nations, stated her support for renewing UNOWAS’ mandate: “Her Excellency Ambassador Kinza Jawara-Njai, unwavering support for the renewal of UNOWAS’ mandate, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a strong and flexible mandate that promotes preventive diplomacy and strengthens regional partnership.”
Kalilu Totangi, representing the President of the ECOWAS Group to the United Nations, also reaffirmed ECOWAS’ backing: “During the meeting, Mr. Kalilu Totangi, reiterated the Group’s support and emphasized the continued relevance of UNOWAS as the main United Nations political mission in West Africa.”
Both parties agreed on “the importance of sustained coordination, mutual complementarity, and enhanced institutional collaboration in order to respond effectively to new regional challenges and help ECOWAS member states strengthen their resilience.”
ECOWAS works toward advancing cooperation among its member states through harmonized policies in areas such as trade, transport, agriculture and social development to promote stability across West Africa. The organization’s commission is led by a president with support from a vice president and commissioners. Since 2022 it has operated a multilingual website aimed at improving transparency about its activities (https://www.ecowas.int/category/news/).
The community’s programs target twelve countries but are designed to benefit a broader region. Its authority allows it to align economic frameworks among members through mechanisms like common external tariffs (https://www.ecowas.int/category/news/).