Abuja, Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for another year, despite tensions with junta leaders from Burkina-Faso, Mali, and Niger. The junta leaders, who withdrew from ECOWAS in January, have formed a new alliance called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and vowed not to return to the regional body.
The re-election of President Tinubu was seen as a vote of confidence in his leadership, and he promised to do his utmost best to serve the interests of the region and build on democratic values. However, the junta leaders have accused ECOWAS of being dictated to by foreign powers and exploiting Africa’s resources.
In response to the threat by the junta, ECOWAS appointed Senegalese President, Bassirou Faye, as Special Envoy to mediate with the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. President Faye will be assisted by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar.
President Tinubu also urged ECOWAS member states to honour their financial obligations to enable the regional body to meet its expectations and recommendations. He emphasized the need for substantial financial resources to combat terrorism and stabilize the region.
The ECOWAS Commission has commenced preparation towards the 50th-anniversary celebration of the regional body and proposed a Special Extra-ordinary Summit on the future of the Community.
Despite the challenges facing the region, President Tinubu remains committed to leading by example and ensuring that Nigeria remits its collected levies to the organization. The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, acknowledged the modest achievements of the region but warned that the region is still confronted with multidimensional challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, and food insecurity.
