The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has warned of a looming global economic catastrophe following a weekend of unprecedented military escalations in the Middle East. In a formal statement issued on Saturday, 28th February 2026, the bloc expressed “deep concern” over the rapidly intensifying hostilities involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
The crisis began early Saturday when coordinated American and Israeli strikes targeted sites inside the Islamic Republic of Iran. The subsequent Iranian retaliation hit several Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases. This cycle of violence has sent shockwaves through African capitals, where leaders fear the fragile post-inflation recovery could be permanently derailed.
A Continent Under Threat
ECOWAS Chairman and President of Sierra Leone, H.E. Dr Julius Maada Bio, aligned the regional body with the African Union (AU) in demanding an immediate ceasefire. The bloc warned that “the intensification of military action risks widening instability in the Middle East, with serious consequences for international peace and security in general and for global energy markets, trade, and food supply chains, especially for Africa and other vulnerable regions.”
The geography of the conflict is a primary concern for West African economists. With the Strait of Hormuz facing potential closure, the transit of 30 to 40 per cent of the world’s oil is at risk. Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko warned that the disruption would trigger a surge in energy prices and a “widespread increase in the cost of living.”
Diplomatic Divisions and Regional Safety
While the AU and ECOWAS maintain a stance of neutrality, individual African nations have displayed varying degrees of diplomatic friction. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the initial strikes on Iran, stating that “anticipatory self-defence is not permitted under international law and self-defence cannot be based on assumption or anticipation.” South Africa’s measured reaction reflects its growing ties within the BRICS bloc, which now includes Iran alongside several Arab nations.
Domestic politics are also surfacing; the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) insisted that Iran “has the right to defend itself” and denounced a Washington-Tel Aviv alliance “resolutely determined to defend Israeli interests throughout the region, whatever the human cost.” In contrast, Morocco, which has grown closer to Israel since the Abraham Accords, activated a crisis unit while denouncing “abhorrent Iranian missile attacks that violated the integrity and security of brotherly Arab states.” Meanwhile, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby offered “fraternal compassion to Ayatollah Khamenei, as well as to the entire brotherly people of Iran,” though N’Djamena later clarified it also condemned Iranian strikes against “brotherly countries.”
Humanitarian Toll on the Diaspora
The conflict has moved beyond balance sheets and into the daily lives of thousands of African expatriates. In Dubai, a Senegalese national, Ibrahima, described a harrowing atmosphere of intercepted missiles. “This morning, I was woken up by a missile that exploded over my neighbourhood,” he told RFI. “We get alert messages on all our phones when the missiles are approaching… It’s true that it’s quite dramatic and stressful, all day long.”
Cameroonian and Ghanaian authorities have issued urgent directives to their citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. A Cameroonian woman noted that “the instruction given so far is to stay home, not to go out onto balconies or look out of windows, because the missile debris that has been falling since last night is serious.”
The Push for Multilateralism AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has prioritised “restraint, urgent de-escalation and sustained dialogue.” He urged all actors to engage in “ongoing international mediation efforts facilitated by the Sultanate of Oman” to uphold the rules-based order. He noted that “further escalation risks worsening global instability, with serious implications for energy markets, food security, and economic resilience—particularly in Africa, where conflict and economic pressures remain acute.”
ECOWAS has reaffirmed West Africa’s commitment to the “peaceful resolution of disputes rather than armed confrontation,” insisting that the safety of civilian lives and critical infrastructure must be prioritised above military objectives.
As the crisis enters a critical phase, the unified African front underscores a shift in global diplomacy, where emerging economies are no longer silent observers but active stakeholders demanding a return to international law to safeguard their own economic survival.
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