Lawrence Olaoye 
…reels out bloc’s achievements under his leadership
…says dialogue ongoing with B/Faso, Mali, Niger
President Bola Tinubu has identified multiple threats facing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under his leadership.
The Nigerian leader, who reeled out the achievements of the block under his leadership at the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union which held in Accra, Ghana on Sunday identified the challenges facing the ECOWAS bloc to include member states withdrawing, geopolitical rivalries, terrorism, food insecurity, climate change, and the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
According to a press release by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu told his counterparts that the ECOWAS under his leadership would continue to dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to maintain unity and would convene a Special Extra-ordinary Summit on the future of the Community.
“Finally, Your Excellencies, I am happy to report that the ECOWAS Commission has assumed the rotating Chairmanship of the Inter-REC platform since February this year. Earlier this year, the ECOWAS Commission hosted the East African Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to exchange views on various issues and review best practices. We will continue to collaborate with all AU regional communities and mechanisms in order to strengthen our continental integration,” the President said.
Presenting the achievements of ECOWAS in the past one year, Tinubu said the Community had activated a Standby Force to counter terrorism and would continue to explore funding options adding that the bloc has been supporting member states to enhance electoral and governance processes, and recently deployed Election Observation Missions to Senegal and Togo – both of which elections were adjudged to be peaceful, transparent, and fair.
He also highlighted the facilitation of the signing of an Agreement for National Unity in Sierra Leone, noting that the sub-regional body would continue to work with stakeholders in the country to implement the provisions of the Agreement.
The President disclosed that consultations were ongoing to revise the ECOWAS 2001 Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
On economic integration, Tinubu said ECOWAS had implemented activities to consolidate the free trade area, customs union, and common market.
Detailing the efforts on the humanitarian and social development front, the Nigerian leader said ECOWAS had allocated $9 million to assist persons of concern, including refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers adding that “The frontline Member States in the fight against terrorism have also been supported with USD4 million under the ECOWAS Counter Terrorism Humanitarian Response.”
Other sectors where achievements have been recorded as highlighted by the President were education, health, energies and mines
“To achieve sustainable electricity access within the ECOWAS and Sahel countries, we will provide a total grant of 38 million US dollars to SMEs in Member States. ECOWAS will extend this to Mauritania, Central African Republic, Chad and Cameroon through Commercial and Financial Institutions.
“With respect to food security, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved the instruments to operationalize the Regional Fund for Agriculture and Food (RFAF). A Regional Food Security was developed to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production,” he said.
Tinubu equally listed that the bloc supported pastoralism in the Sahel by vaccinating over 490 million livestock and established common rules for controlling veterinary medicine products at borders.
The President, on the margins of the AU meeting, held a bilateral meeting with President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti.
Guelleh emphasized the importance of Nigeria’s role as a leader in West Africa and the continent.
