President Bola Tinubu was re-elected as ECOWAS chairman during the 65th Ordinary Session. Tinubu urges financial commitments from member states to combat regional terrorism and address insecurity.
President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the 65th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. The session took place at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on July 7, 2024.
Tinubu, who initially assumed leadership of ECOWAS in May 2023, will continue to steer the regional bloc for another term. His re-election comes amidst ongoing regional challenges, including a series of coups in member countries such as Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
During his opening remarks at the summit, President Tinubu emphasized the need for ECOWAS member states to make substantial financial commitments to combat terrorism in the region. He highlighted the importance of operationalizing the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) and underscored that both strong political will and substantial financial resources are crucial for the success of this initiative.
Tinubu urged member states to adhere to the expectations and recommendations set by their ministers of defense and finance to address insecurity and stabilize the region. He called for extra commitments from member states to provide the necessary resources to ensure regional stability.
The ECOWAS region has recently been affected by a wave of coups. In response, the organization had imposed sanctions, including border closures, on Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Although these sanctions were lifted in February, the three countries subsequently left ECOWAS and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
At the AES's inaugural summit in Niamey, Niger Republic's military leader Abdourahamane Tiani criticized ECOWAS for its perceived failure to address jihadist threats in the region, asserting that the people of these countries have permanently turned away from ECOWAS.
The re-election of President Tinubu as ECOWAS chairman signals continuity in leadership as the regional body navigates these complex challenges. Nigerians had mixed reactions to Tinubu's re-election.
On social media, some users praised his leadership, while others expressed skepticism. One user questioned, "Re-elect or re-select?" Another wondered if the other presidents were "running from responsibility," while another congratulated Tinubu, saying, "President Tinubu has turned doubters into believers again." Some expressed concerns about his ability to focus on Nigeria, with comments like, "I wish he could reject it though and focus mainly on Nigeria!"