After 46 years of work, the ECOWAS States still have to face many challenges. The resident representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in Burkina Faso, Tiéna Coulibaly, listed the challenges of peace, security and good governance.

As part of the joint commemoration of Africa Day and the 46th anniversary of ECOWAS, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, Integration and Burkinabe Abroad organized a panel on the theme: "The great challenges of ECOWAS in the 21st century", Friday, May 28, 2021, in Ouagadougou.
According to the secretary of the department in charge of foreign affairs, Seydou Sinka, this public conference aims to make an introspection of the achievements made during the four decades and to identify the bases for better integration. In his communication, the former minister and former vice-president of ECOWAS, Jean-de-Dieu Somda, indicated that the institution has, since 2006, initiated reforms which have enabled West African States to show solidarity in the areas of crisis management, consultation on major international issues, the fight against terrorism, the interconnection of electricity networks, the implementation of major integration projects.
The resident representative of ECOWAS in Burkina Faso, Tiéna Coulibaly, indicated that the sub-regional organization must take up the challenges of peace, security and good governance. This involves the establishment of an effective mechanism for transferring the community levy, the necessary return to the fundamentals of the ideals of the founding fathers, namely solidarity, permanent consultation, Pan-Africanism and leadership. In terms of the recruitment of its agents, the sub-regional organization must also demonstrate professionalism by emphasizing competence instead of political or family co-options.