President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding the 66th Ordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the State House, Abuja.
In attendance are the Presidents of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia and Senegal in person, alongside the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Finance Minister of Benin Republic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Togo and the Ambassador of Cape Verde to Nigeria.
Naija News reports that the summit is expected to address concerns, over the announcement of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s decision to withdraw from the regional body.
The ongoing session will also focus on advancing regional economic integration, tackling the surge of terrorism in the Sahel, political instability in member states, among other issues.
The 66th Ordinary Summit will also review the organisation’s sanctions imposed on Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger following the military coups, to balance diplomatic efforts with its fundamental commitment to promoting democracy.
The leaders of the regional bloc are also expected to review timelines in countries under military rule, emphasising shorter transitions to civilian governance.
It would be recalled that President Tinubu had, during the last summit, appointed Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to mediate between ECOWAS and the trio of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
