ECOWAS, Spain Sign €16m Deal to Strengthen West Africa’s Resilience

Economic Community of West African States and Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation have signed a €16 million partnership agreement aimed at boosting resilience, inclusion and regional integration across West Africa.
The agreement, sealed in Abuja on February 23, 2026, involves two Memoranda of Understanding under the ECOWAS–AECID Cooperation Programme 2025–2028. The initiative will focus on rural development, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, while supporting agriculture, food security, energy access, infrastructure and institutional strengthening in line with ECOWAS Vision 2050.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Alieu Touray, described the deal as the largest cooperation of its kind between Spain and any Regional Economic Community in Africa. He noted that the partnership is built on shared interests and mutual respect rather than aid dependency.
Director of AECID, Antón Leis García, reaffirmed Spain’s longstanding commitment to West Africa, describing the programme as a transformative intervention backed by a €16 million budget.
The two agreements signal a renewed collaboration between ECOWAS and Spain, with both sides expressing commitment to sustainable development, regional stability and economic growth. The partnership is expected to deepen regional integration and deliver tangible benefits to communities across West Africa, particularly women and girls, while strengthening institutional capacity within the region.