Tinubu Addresses African Leaders, Highlights ECOWAS Achievements

 

President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, addressed the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana, emphasizing the significant strides made by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over the past year.

Key Achievements:

1. Security and Peacebuilding:

   • ECOWAS has activated a Standby Force to combat terrorism and is actively seeking funding options for continued support.
   • Successful deployment of Election Observation Missions to Senegal and Togo, where elections were deemed peaceful, transparent, and fair.
   • Facilitated the signing of a National Unity Agreement in Sierra Leone and is working with stakeholders for its implementation.

2. Economic Integration:

   • Progress in economic integration with the consolidation of the free trade area, customs union, and common market.
   • Supported six Member States in ratifying the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.
   • Thirteen Member States have ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
   • The interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) is operational in twelve Member States.

3. Humanitarian and Social Development:

   • Allocated $9 million to assist refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers.
   • Provided $4 million under the ECOWAS Counter Terrorism Humanitarian Response.
   • Established regional academic and research networks and continued to support practical skills development for youth.

4. Energy, Agriculture, and Environmental Efforts:

   • Advanced electrification projects in The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Mali through the ECOWAS-Regional Electricity Access Project (ECOREAP) and the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP).
   • Approved $3 million in funding for solar SMEs, with additional grants and loans planned to support sustainable electricity access.
   • Supported environmental initiatives, including implementation of the Paris Agreement and regional carbon market establishment.
   • Focused on food security with the operationalization of the Regional Fund for Agriculture and Food (RFAF) and improved animal health through extensive livestock vaccination.

5. Institutional Developments:

   • Elected the first female President of the ECOWAS Parliament, the Right Honourable Maimunatu Ibrahim from Togo.
   • The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice reviewed fifteen new cases and delivered eleven judgments.

Challenges and Future Directions:

President Tinubu acknowledged several challenges facing ECOWAS, including geopolitical rivalries, terrorism, food insecurity, climate change, and the spread of misinformation. He emphasized the need for continued dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to maintain unity and announced plans for a Special Extra-ordinary Summit to address the future of the Community.

Bilateral Engagements:

On the sidelines of the AU meeting, President Tinubu met with President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti. The leaders discussed Nigeria’s role in advancing bilateral interests and addressing development concerns in Djibouti.

The Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, conceptualized in 2017, serves as a principal forum for the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to align their work and coordinate continental integration efforts. This year's theme was “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century.”