Abuja: A summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government kicked off in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Sunday. The conferees focus on rapid political and security developments in the region, primarily the recent toppling of Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and a failed military coup in Benin as well as the swift security deterioration in West African countries.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the summit comes only one week following the military coup in Benin and at a time when there are growing fears over widening political instability and mounting terrorist threats in the region. The meeting also marks the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, adding a symbolic dimension alongside its political and security significance.
The summit will be chaired by President of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Julius Maada Bio. The event will include a Special Debate on the Future of the Community and is expected to feature deliberations on key regional priorities, including political stability, security cooperation, and economic integration.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen countries, founded in 1975, with a mission to promote economic integration among the group's member states.