The President of Nigeria, Bola Ahme Tinubu has been re-elected as ECOWAS chairman for an extra year, amid plans to reintegrate Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso into the regional bloc.
The decision was made on Sunday, July 7 by the leaders and representatives from ECOWAS’ 12 member states at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja during the 63rd Ordinary Summit.
Tinubu’s first tenure was supposed to conclude on July 9, 2024.
In his acceptance speech, President Tinubu said; “I have accepted to continue to deliver on this service with the great men and women on this democratic journey, to serve our interest and build democratic values on the structure we inherited.”
This extension will give Tinubu additional time to work towards reintegrating Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso into ECOWAS, as these nations have recently faced political instability and challenges.
Tinubu then announced President of Senegal, Bassirou Faye, as Special Envoy of the ECOWAS Commission to mediate with the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger who announced their exit from the community earlier in the year.
Tinubu said President Fayewill run the new task alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar.
He said: “Having a new mandate, I will request Faye of Senegal to please become our special envoy alongside Tuggar, to do a round-the-clock work with our brothers and Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and coordinate with me, if necessary, and with the commission.”