President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is on the cusp of assuming the prestigious role of Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Tinubu is expected to succeed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, according to diplomatic sources cited by TheCable.
The 63rd ordinary session of the ECOWAS heads of state and government will take place in Bissau, the capital city of Guinea-Bissau. This gathering will mark Tinubu's inaugural international outing on the African continent since his assumption of the Nigerian presidency in May 2023. Previously, he attended the summit on ‘A New Global Financing Pact' hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
The ECOWAS summit will address critical sub-regional issues, including security challenges faced by member countries, the financial situation of ECOWAS, the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the status of transition in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
Established in 1975, ECOWAS consists of 15 member states with a combined population of 387 million and a nominal GDP of $816 billion. The member states encompass Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Stay tuned as President Tinubu assumes the esteemed position of ECOWAS Chairman, playing a crucial role in shaping regional cooperation and development in West Africa.