ECOWAS Chair, Pres. Tinubu, presides over regional body’s summit in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu on Saturday presided over Extraordinary Summit of heads of state and government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the State House, Abuja.

Persecondnews reports that issues that dominated their discussion are political, security, and peace conditions in the region.

As the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State, President Tinubu also chaired discussions regarding developments in and surrounding member states that have been subjected to military rule.

Persecondnews recalls that the ECOWAS Authority had sanctioned the military coups that occurred in August 2020 in Mali, September 2022 in Burkina Faso, and July 2023 in Niger.

The action led to an increase in hostilities within the region.

The nearly 50-year-old bloc, which has its headquarters in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, is made up of 15 nations.

But in late January, the juntas led by the military in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger declared they were quitting the body for what they called”illegal sanctions” imposed on them by ECOWAS that are hurting their citizens.

In addition, they said that foreign governments, whose objectives diverged greatly from the people’s, had gained sway over the bloc.

The “Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger” was agreed by the regional bloc in July 2023. All service transactions, particularly those involving energy, should be frozen.

The Republic of Niger’s assets in Aqua Central Bank, as well as its state-owned businesses and parastatals in commercial banks, were frozen.

When military authority was imposed in Mali and Burkina Faso, it too followed identical procedures.

The junta announced its independence without giving a year’s notice, despite ECOWAS regulations requiring a withdrawing member state to give notice.

It was the first pullout since Mauritania withdrew in December 2000, or about 24 years ago.

Ministers from Burkina Faso, Mali, and the Niger Republic stated their intentions to form a confederation on February 15, 2024.

A communique is being expected from the regional summit.