Buhari, ECOWAS leaders meet in Abuja to discuss political crises in Mali, Guinea

President Muhammadu Buhari has received other West African leaders for the 60th Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) ordinary session.

The meeting, which began on Sunday morning, will see ECOWAS leaders deliberate on crucial sub-regional and continental matters, including reports on political crises in Mali and Guinea Conakry.

According to NAN, Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana and Chairman of ECOWAS Authority, is in attendance, alongside Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema, President of Togo, and Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Niger Republic.

Also in attendance are President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea Bissau, President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone, Presidents Adama Barrow of The Gambia and Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire and President Jose Maria Neves of Cape Verde.

The event is Neves’ first ECOWAS meeting after being sworn in as the president of his country last month.

Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s former president, is also present as ECOWAS Mediator on Mali.

The meeting will deliberate on the 2021 annual report of ECOWAS and the report of the 47th Ordinary Meeting of the Mediation and Security Council.

It will also deliberate on the Report of the 87th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and other issues such as climate change.

The meeting will also consider the appointment of an ECOWAS champion for the return of cultural artefacts and the report on the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme by Ken Ofori-Affa.

Ofori-Affa is the chair of the ministerial committee on the single currency.

Winners of the ECOWAS Prize for Excellence are also expected to receive various prizes at the event.