Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, is hosting 11 of his counterparts at the 66th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States.
The 12 presidents arrived at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, at about 2:00 pm.
Tinubu is hosting Sunday’s meeting in his capacity as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, a position he assumed in June 2023. He was re-elected for a second one-year term in June 2024.
The meeting comes amidst rising tensions, particularly following the announcement by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger of their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS in January 2024.
The three nations accused the regional bloc of abandoning its founding ideals and yielding to external influences, criticising sanctions imposed to reverse their respective military coups.
This withdrawal follows a series of military takeovers in Mali (2020 and 2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023), which led to their suspension from ECOWAS and strained relations with the bloc.
In response, the withdrawing states formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a new regional bloc prioritising defence and mutual support. They have also distanced themselves from traditional Western allies, particularly France, and have sought closer ties with Russia.
In September 2024, Burkina Faso introduced a new biometric passport without the ECOWAS emblem, further solidifying its withdrawal. This development has raised questions about the future of ECOWAS, which marks its 50th anniversary in 2025.
Sunday’s session will review the organisation’s sanctions on the withdrawing nations.
During talks with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the State House last Tuesday, Tinubu affirmed that Nigeria would pursue diplomatic solutions to the political impasse in the three countries, ensuring innocent citizens are not unduly punished for the actions of military regimes.
The Heads of State will also discuss regional security, focusing on the rising threat of terrorism in the Sahel and ongoing political instability in member states.
They will review progress in countries under military rule, emphasising shorter transitions to civilian governance.
On economic integration, the Authority will explore ways to accelerate the adoption of the ECO, ECOWAS’s proposed single currency.
As of December 2024, the remaining ECOWAS member states are Benin Republic, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Details later…
