The 66th summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) opened Sunday in Abuja, Nigeria, with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger notably absent.
The three countries, all of which have experienced coups in recent years, have severed ties with the regional bloc, accusing ECOWAS of imposing unfair sanctions related to the military takeovers.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu is chairing the summit, which is expected to address key issues such as regional security challenges and the payment of community levies by member states.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is also scheduled to report to the bloc after mediating talks with Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso during the previous summit.
Another major topic on the agenda is the implementation of ECOWAS’s trade liberalization scheme, which aims to facilitate the free movement of people and goods across member states.
ECOWAS, which was founded in 1975 and now includes around a dozen member nations, including Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and The Gambia, is facing increasing challenges to regional stability due to ongoing coups and security crises.
As the current chair of ECOWAS, Nigeria’s leadership is seen as critical to addressing these pressing issues and maintaining the bloc’s influence in the region.
