Tinubu Secures Second Term as ECOWAS Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of States and Government held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria. Accepting his re-election, Tinubu appointed the President of Senegal to assist in mediation efforts with Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad.
Tinubu urged member states to fulfill their financial commitments to ECOWAS to tackle security challenges effectively. He emphasized the need for substantial financial resources to operationalize the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) to combat terrorism, banditry, and violent extremism.
With his tenure as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority set to expire on July 9, Tinubu highlighted the importance of member states meeting their financial obligations to stabilize the region and address security challenges. He encouraged leveraging the Nigeria National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) as a regional center for capacity building.
Additionally, Tinubu called for unity and innovative approaches to unlock the region’s economic potential, stressing the need for partnerships, investment, and infrastructure development to overcome economic hurdles.