AU 6th Mid-Year: President Tinubu Addresses African Leaders on Achievements, Challenges of ECOWAS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, addressed African leaders at the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana, highlighting the progress and challenges faced by the regional bloc.

President Tinubu noted that ECOWAS has made significant progress in counter-terrorism, electoral support, economic integration, humanitarian and social development, education, health, energy, mines, and agriculture. He emphasized the activation of a Standby Force to counter terrorism and the support provided to member states to enhance electoral and governance processes.

However, he acknowledged the challenges facing the region, including terrorism, food insecurity, climate change, and the spread of misinformation and disinformation. To address these challenges, President Tinubu announced that ECOWAS will continue to dialogue with member states, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, to maintain unity and convene a Special Extra-ordinary Summit on the future of the Community.

The meeting aimed to align the work of the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda. President Tinubu’s address demonstrated Nigeria’s leadership role in West Africa and the continent, as he emphasized the need for continued collaboration to strengthen continental integration.