Kehinde Fajobi
President Bola Tinubu is hosting 11 West African leaders at the 66th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja.
The leaders convened at the State House Conference Centre on Sunday, under Tinubu’s chairmanship of the regional bloc.
He first assumed the role in June 2023 and was re-elected for a second term in June 2024.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of rising tensions following the announcement by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS by January 2024.
The three nations accused the bloc of deviating from its founding principles, alleging external interference and criticising sanctions imposed after their respective military coups.
In response, they formed the Alliance of Sahel States, prioritising defence cooperation and aligning more closely with Russia while distancing themselves from traditional Western allies like France.
The withdrawal was further emphasised in September 2024 when Burkina Faso introduced a biometric passport without ECOWAS insignia, raising concerns about the bloc’s unity as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2025.
At Sunday’s session, ECOWAS leaders will review sanctions imposed on the withdrawing states and explore ways to address political instability in the region.
Talks will also focus on the rising threat of terrorism in the Sahel and ongoing transitions in member states under military rule, with an emphasis on reducing the duration of military-led governments.
Economic integration, including the adoption of the ECO, ECOWAS’s proposed single currency, will also feature prominently on the agenda.
During a meeting last Tuesday with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to pursuing diplomatic solutions to the political crisis in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
He stressed the importance of avoiding actions that disproportionately harm innocent citizens.
The remaining ECOWAS member states include Benin Republic, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.