Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahme Tinubu, has been re-elected as ECOWAS chairman for an additional year, amidst plans to reintegrate Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso into the regional bloc.
The decision was reached on Sunday, July 7, during the 63rd Ordinary Summit at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, attended by leaders and representatives from ECOWAS’ 12 member states.
Tinubu’s initial term was set to conclude on July 9, 2024.
In his acceptance speech, President Tinubu expressed his commitment: “I have accepted to continue to deliver on this service with the great men and women on this democratic journey, to serve our interest and build democratic values on the structure we inherited.”
This extension allows Tinubu more time to focus on reintegrating Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso into ECOWAS, amidst recent political instability and challenges in these nations.
President Tinubu also appointed Senegal’s President, Bassirou Faye, as the Special Envoy of the ECOWAS Commission to mediate with the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, who announced their withdrawal from the community earlier this year.
Tinubu explained: “With this new mandate, I will request President Faye of Senegal to serve as our special envoy alongside Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, to engage intensively with our brothers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and to coordinate with me and the Commission if necessary.”
