The Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Ms Damtien L. TCHINTCHIBIDJA, conducted a high-level advocacy mission to Senegal with the goal of advancing the establishment of a National Early Warning and Response Centre in the country.
Ms. TCHINTCHIBIDJA met with several key Senegalese officials during her visit: H.E. Mr. Cheikh NIANG, Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad on October 28; General Birame DIOP, Minister of the Armed Forces on October 29; and H.E. Mr Ousmane SONKO, Prime Minister of Senegal on October 30.
These meetings are part of ongoing efforts to decentralize the ECOWAS Regional Early Warning and Response Mechanism. This process began after a Supplementary Act was adopted by the Conference of Heads of State and Government in July 2014. The initiative is designed to improve member states’ ability to prevent, anticipate, and manage crises.
During her discussions in Dakar, Ms TCHINTCHIBIDJA provided an update on ECOWARN—a regional mechanism focused on conflict prevention and human security—which is already active in most ECOWAS countries but not yet operational in four states including Senegal.
Ms TCHINTCHIBIDJA stated: “The well-being of populations remains a priority for ECOWAS in its regional strategy for peace and stability.” She reaffirmed that “the Commission’s willingness and commitment [is] to support the Government of Senegal in the final stages leading up to the official launch of the National Centre and its effective operationalisation.”
Prime Minister Ousmane SONKO expressed his government’s intention to speed up work on establishing the centre: “He described [it] as a strategic tool for securing communities, both nationally and regionally.” He also suggested that an official inauguration could take place during the first quarter of 2026.