President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to assume the role of the upcoming chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), News About Nigeria reports.
The upcoming meeting of the heads of state of the regional political and economic bloc will see Tinubu taking over from President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau.
According to diplomatic sources, Tinubu will be leaving Abuja on Saturday to attend the 63rd ordinary session of the authority of heads of state and government in Bissau, the capital city of Guinea-Bissau.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari previously held the position in 2018, and now Tinubu, who succeeded Buhari as the President of Nigeria in May 2023, will be making his first international appearance on the African continent at the ECOWAS meeting.
During the month of June, Tinubu took part in the ‘A New Global Financing Pact’ summit, which was organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and held in Paris, France.
The upcoming ECOWAS heads of state summit will focus on crucial sub-regional matters.
This includes discussions on the security challenges faced by member countries, as covered in the report of the 50th ordinary session of the Mediation and security council.
The financial situation of ECOWAS, as outlined in the report of the 90th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, will also be addressed.
Furthermore, the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the status of transition in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea will be highlighted.
Since its establishment in 1975, ECOWAS has grown to include 15 member states, collectively housing a population of 387 million people and boasting a combined nominal GDP of $816 billion.
The member nations encompass Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
