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PHOTOS: President Tinubu Re-Elected as ECOWAS Chairman

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 8th, 2024.

PHOTOS: President Tinubu Re-Elected as ECOWAS Chairman

President Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), nearly a year after assuming leadership of the regional bloc.

The Nigerian leader, who took office in May 2023, was re-elected during the 65th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. This event was held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Sunday, July 7, 2024.

During his opening remarks at the summit, President Tinubu urged ECOWAS member states to make financial commitments to combat terrorism in the region. He emphasized the need for both strong political will and substantial financial resources to ensure the success of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in fighting terrorism.

“We must meet the expectations and recommendations set forth by our ministers of defence and finance to counter insecurity and stabilize our region. Member states must make extra commitments to providing resources for stabilizing the region,” Tinubu told the gathering.

In recent years, ECOWAS has faced a series of coups in member nations, including Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso, which have led to significant regional instability. In response to these coups, ECOWAS imposed sanctions, including border closures, on the affected countries. Although these sanctions were lifted in February, the three nations subsequently left ECOWAS and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

During the AES’s inaugural summit in Niamey, Niger Republic’s military leader, Abdourahamane Tiani, accused ECOWAS of incompetence in tackling jihadist threats. He asserted that the AES is the only effective sub-regional grouping in the fight against terrorism, criticizing ECOWAS for its lack of involvement.

“Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS,” Tiani declared, emphasizing a shift away from the influence of former colonial powers and advocating for a new community free from foreign domination.