Tinubu may emerge new ECOWAS chairman, leaves for Guinea-Bissau today

Tinubu may emerge new ECOWAS chairman, leaves for Guinea-Bissau today

President Bola Tinubu will jet out of Abuja today (Saturday) to Guinea-Bissau to attend the 63rd ordinary session of the authority of heads of state and government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) holding on Sunday.

Dele Alake, Tinubu’s special adviser on special duties, communications and strategy, announced this in a statement on Friday.

There are indications that Tinubu will be appointed chairman of the body.

The summit is Tinubu’s first ECOWAS official trip since he assumed office as Nigeria’s president on May 29.

He is expected to take over from President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, according to sources.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari previously held the position in 2018.

According to Alake, the summit, which will take place on Sunday, is expected to address memoranda on pressing sub-regional issues, including a report of the 50th ordinary session of the mediation and security council (MSC) covering security challenges faced by the member countries; report of the 90th ordinary session of ECOWAS council of ministers on the financial situation of the body and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as well as report on the status of transition in the Republics of Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

Other items slated for discussion include memoranda on the ECOWAS single currency programme and the report on obstacles to the free movement of goods on the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, the statement added.