The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet on Sunday in Abuja, where they are expected to discuss the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the bloc.
The three countries confirmed their withdrawal from the bloc 11 months ago, and the one-year deadline set by ECOWAS rules for any country wishing to withdraw from the bloc expires in January.
Last week, Nigerian President and ECOWAS Chairman, Bola Tinubu, told German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier that the interests of the peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger were among the top priorities of the ECOWAS leaders.
President Tinubu assured that he would continue to use diplomatic and strategic means to see the Sahel countries return to the bloc, while ensuring peace and unity in the region.
Other issues related to regional integration, security, and economic development are on the agenda that ECOWAS is expected to focus on.
