President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is hosting the 66th Ordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the State House in Abuja. The summit, which brings together leaders from across the region, aims to address key political, security, and economic issues affecting West Africa.
The high-profile meeting is focused on strengthening regional economic integration, a long-standing goal of ECOWAS. Leaders will also deliberate on the recent developments in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, countries that announced their withdrawal from the organization after military coups disrupted civilian governments.
A critical agenda item for the summit is reviewing the sanctions imposed on these three nations. ECOWAS leaders are tasked with balancing diplomatic efforts to resolve the crises with their firm commitment to upholding democracy and constitutional order.
The summit will also address urgent security threats, including the growing terrorism in the Sahel region and political instability in several member states. Transition timelines for military-led governments will be reviewed, with an emphasis on expediting the return to civilian rule.
President Tinubu previously appointed Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to mediate between ECOWAS and the governments of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Faye’s mediation report is set to be presented during the summit as leaders seek actionable solutions to the ongoing challenges.
