Speaking at the Sahel Governance Forum on Wednesday, 30 July 2025, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo, Dr Touray warned that Africa’s vast natural wealth would remain a “gold mine for others” if governance systems fail to deliver tangible results for citizens.
Dr Touray commended the organisers of the forum, noting that the gathering was not merely for speeches, but a platform for reflection, engagement and decisive action on governance challenges facing the Sahel. He emphasised the need for innovative strategies to strengthen social cohesion, build trust between citizens and the state, and reinforce democratic institutions that uphold accountability, discipline and efficient resource management.
The ECOWAS President stressed that accountability is the foundation of governance, warning that Africa cannot achieve sustainable development without embedding discipline and a results-driven culture in both public institutions and society at large.
“Governance is about accountability, it is about discipline, it is about results,” he stated.
Dr Touray cautioned against reducing governance to electoral processes alone. While elections are important, he said, true governance extends beyond the ballot box to include the delivery of results that improve citizens’ lives.
He painted a stark picture of Africa’s paradox of poverty amid abundance, pointing to resource-rich regions that remain underdeveloped due to weak governance.
“Unless we fix governance,” he warned, “Africa will continue to sit on gold mines but remain poor.”
He urged participants to leave the forum with a renewed commitment to transform dialogue into action, ensuring that policies and institutions drive meaningful social and economic progress for the people of the Sahel and the wider continent.
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