Tinubu to Take Over ECOWAS as Regional Bloc Faces Security and Trade Hurdles

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is poised to become the next chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional political and economic bloc that comprises 15 member states with a combined population of 387 million and nominal GDP of $816 billion.

The Nigerian leader left Abuja on Saturday for Bissau, the capital city of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, where he will attend the 63rd ordinary session of the authority of heads of state and government on Sunday.

According to diplomatic sources, President Tinubu is expected to take over the leadership of ECOWAS from President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, who has been chairing the bloc since February 2020.

This will be President Tinubu’s first international outing on the African continent since he assumed office in May 2023, following his victory in the presidential election. He had earlier participated in the summit for ‘A New Global Financing Pact’ hosted by French president, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris, France, in June.

The summit of the ECOWAS heads of state will deliberate on memoranda on pressing sub-regional issues, including a report of the 50th ordinary session of the mediation and security council covering security challenges faced by the member countries, such as terrorism, insurgency, banditry and coup d’etats.

The summit will also consider a report of the 90th ordinary session of ECOWAS council of ministers on the financial situation of the body, as well as the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create a single market for goods and services across Africa.

In addition, the summit will receive a report on the status of transition in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, where political crises have erupted in recent times.

ECOWAS was formed in 1975 with the aim of promoting economic integration and cooperation among its member states. The member states are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari previously held the position of ECOWAS chairman in 2018.

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