
African countries have been urged to strengthen their strategic positioning as changing international power relations reshape the continent’s diplomatic and economic environment.
The call emerged from the second edition of the ECOWAS Commission’s Brown Bag seminar, held in Abuja, Nigeria, on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
Organized by the Commission’s Political Affairs Directorate, the meeting examined the implications of the evolving relationship between China and the United States for Africa, particularly West Africa.
Discussions centered on the theme, “The New Has Not Yet Been Born: Global Africa in the Era of Chimerical.”
Dr. Babatunde Afolabi, the Commission’s Director of Political Affairs, chaired the session. Professor Adekeye Adebajo, a senior researcher at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Promotion of Research, delivered the guest presentation.
The gathering brought together ECOWAS Commission and Parliament staff, diplomats, academics, civil society representatives and officials from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Participants emphasized the importance of understanding emerging geopolitical developments and developing effective African responses to them.
The seminar provided a platform for exchanging knowledge on how regional institutions and African states can better position themselves within a changing international order.
Source: Omanghana




