The 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government is currently underway at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
The summit, which will feature a Special Debate on the Future of the Community, is expected to deliberate on key regional priorities, including political stability, security cooperation, and economic integration across West Africa.
Regional leaders have arrived in Nigeria for the high-level meeting, which is being chaired by the President of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Julius Maada Bio. According to a brief statement from his office, Bio arrived in Abuja on Saturday.
“At this important gathering, regional leaders are expected to discuss a range of critical issues affecting West Africa, with particular focus on recent developments involving Guinea-Bissau and Benin,” the statement said.
Key items on the agenda include discussions on the future of the ECOWAS Community; presentation of the 2025 Annual Report on the State of the Community; updates on regional security and mediation efforts; progress on the political transition in Guinea; and a review of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).
The summit is expected to conclude with the adoption of a final communiqué, followed by a joint press conference.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, meeting in Abuja, unanimously endorsed President John Mahama as the sole ECOWAS candidate for the position of Chairperson of the African Union when the rotational slot returns to West Africa in 2027.
