PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) roughly one year after assuming leadership of the regional bloc.
Tinubu was first elected to the position in Guinea-Bissau on July 9, 2023.
Today, the Nigerian leader, who assumed office in May 2023, was re-elected during the 65th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held at the Presidential Villa in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
In his speech upon acceptance, President Tinubu emphasized his commitment to promoting democratic values and safeguarding the interests of ECOWAS.
He announced the appointment of the President of Senegal as Special Envoy to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic, and assigned the President of Togo to collaborate with these countries and the ECOWAS Commission.
President Tinubu also called on ECOWAS member states to provide financial support to combat terrorism in the region through the operationalization of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF).
“As we move to operationalise the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in combating terrorism, I must emphasise that the success of this plan requires not only strong political will but also substantial financial resources,” he told the gathering.
“We must therefore ensure that we meet the expectations and recommendations set forth by our ministers of defence and finance in order to counter the insecurity and stabilise our region. Member states must make extra commitments to providing resources for stabilising the region.”
The region has faced challenges due to a series of coups in member nations, resulting in strained relations and the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
AES accused ECOWAS of incompetence in addressing security threats and opted to disengage from the regional bloc, aligning themselves more closely with the fight against terrorism in the region.
“Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS,” Tiani insisted.
“The AES is the only effective sub-regional grouping in the fight against terrorism,” Tiani declared on Saturday, calling ECOWAS “conspicuous by its lack of involvement in this fight”.
The exit came as the trio shifted away from former colonial ruler France, with Tiani calling for the new bloc to become a “community far removed from the stranglehold of foreign powers”.
