In a significant address at the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana, President Bola Tinubu detailed the progress and challenges faced by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). As Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu emphasized the bloc’s achievements over the past year and outlined ongoing initiatives and issues.
President Tinubu highlighted the activation of a Standby Force to counter-terrorism and the support provided to member states for electoral and governance processes, citing peaceful elections in Senegal and Togo. He also noted the facilitation of a National Unity Agreement in Sierra Leone and ongoing consultations to revise the ECOWAS 2001 Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
On economic integration, President Tinubu reported advancements such as the ratification of the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement by six member states and the AFCFTA agreement by thirteen. He mentioned the operational status of the ECOWAS interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) in twelve countries.
In terms of humanitarian efforts, ECOWAS allocated $9 million to assist refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers. Additionally, $4 million was directed towards counter-terrorism humanitarian responses. The region also saw developments in education, with the establishment of the West African Network of National Academies of Sciences and the African Forum for Research and Innovation.
On energy, ECOWAS advanced electrification projects in The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, and Mali through the ECOWAS-Regional Electricity Access Project (ECOREAP) and approved 32 solar off-grid SMEs, including nine led by women. A grant of $38 million will support SMEs across the ECOWAS and Sahel regions, with an additional $140 million in loans for solar SMEs.
In agriculture, ECOWAS focused on food security and pastoralism, with a record vaccination of over 490 million livestock and the development of common rules for veterinary medicine products at borders. The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) also operationalized the Regional Fund for Agriculture and Food (RFAF).
President Tinubu noted the election of the first female President of the ECOWAS Parliament, Maimunatu Ibrahim from Togo, and highlighted the activities of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice.
Despite these achievements, President Tinubu acknowledged challenges such as member states withdrawing, geopolitical rivalries, terrorism, food insecurity, climate change, and misinformation. He emphasized ongoing dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to maintain unity and announced a Special Extraordinary Summit on the future of the Community.
President Tinubu also held a bilateral meeting with President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, discussing Nigeria’s leadership role and development concerns.
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The Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, established in 2017, serves as the principal forum for the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to align their work and coordinate continental integration efforts. This year’s meeting focused on the theme, “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century.”
- Source: Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), July 21, 2024
