West Africa: President Akufo-Addo Chairs Last ECOWAS Summit Meeting

30 June 2022
Ghanaian Times (Accra)

Ghana will on Sunday host the 61st Ordinary Session of the Authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government in Accra.

The Summit, to be attended by Heads of State and Government from 12 Member States, marks the end of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo'ssecond-year stewardship as the Authority'sChair.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in Accra, yesterday.

It is recalled that President Akufo-Addo assumed the Chairmanship of ECOWAS on September 7, 2020 in Niamey, Niger afterMahamadouIssoufou, former President of Niger, ended his stewardship.

In June last year, the mandate of President Akufo-Addo was renewed by his peers for another one year based on his sterling leadership and to complete ongoing institutional reforms.

The reforms geared towards the reduction of the number of Statutory Appointees of the ECOWAS Commission from 15 to seven as well as streamline operational cost.

According to the statement, the summit would among many others, be dedicated to examining and taking decisions on the political, security and humanitarian situations in the region.

It said, the meeting would review the current state of affairs in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, which have been suspended from the Organisation, following the unconstitutional changes of government.

Preceding the Summit, it said, the Foreign Affairs Minister and Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Shirley Botchwey, yesterday (Wednesday) hosted her Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence and Security for the Mediation and Security Council Meeting.

It said the Mediation and Security Council Meeting was expected to provide updates on the political developments in the region, especially in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and the Sahel Region.

The statement said the meeting was also scheduled to provide updates on the overall climate of insecurity, challenges relating to youth unemployment and the impact of diseases and pandemics on social tensions in the region.

Ms Botchwey, it said would today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) also host her colleagues and Finance Ministers in the ECOWAS Council of Ministers Meeting.

It said the meeting would among other things discuss and make recommendations on the finance, administration, as well as, the programmes and activities of the ECOWAS institutions to the Authority of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government for adoption.

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