Tinubu Highlights ECOWAS Achievements at AU Mid-Year Meeting

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu delivered a detailed overview of ECOWAS achievements during his address at the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana.

Tinubu, who serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, emphasized the regional bloc’s progress over the past year. He underscored ECOWAS’s support for economic integration, citing advancements in the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement and AFCFTA ratifications among member states.

In addition to enhancing regional trade through the operational SIGMAT system in twelve member states, Tinubu highlighted ECOWAS’s humanitarian efforts. He disclosed allocations of $9 million for assisting vulnerable populations and $4 million for counter-terrorism efforts in frontline states.

Education initiatives, including the establishment of the West African Network of National Academies of Sciences and the Academic Mobility Scheme, were also outlined. Tinubu emphasized ECOWAS’s commitment to gender equality in education and support for women affected by health challenges like obstetric fistula.

Furthermore, President Tinubu detailed advancements in energy and agriculture sectors, highlighting projects aimed at electrification and sustainable agriculture practices across member states.

Despite these achievements, Tinubu acknowledged challenges such as geopolitical tensions and climate change impacting regional stability. He reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to dialogue and unity among member states.

The meeting, a pivotal forum for AU and RECs to align continental integration efforts, also saw President Tinubu engage in bilateral discussions with President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, focusing on mutual developmental concerns.

Overall, President Tinubu’s address underscored ECOWAS’s pivotal role in regional integration and sustainable development across Africa.