ECOWAS summit kicks off in Abuja; Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger absent

The 66th summit of ECOWAS, or the Economic Community of West African states, is getting underway with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger notably absent.

These three coup-hit nations have severed ties with the bloc, accusing it of unfair coup-related sanctions.

Chairing the meeting is Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is set to report to the bloc, after he mediated with Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso at the previous summit.

Among the topics on the agenda are regional security challenges and the payment of community levy by member states.

Ministers are also expected to discuss the implementation is the ECOWAS trade liberalisation scheme, which entails free movement of people and goods.

Currently headed by Nigeria, ECOWAS is more important than ever, with the region’s stability being thrown into danger by coups and security crises.

With around a dozen members, including Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana and the Gambia, the bloc was founded in 1975.

It has since become the region’s leading political authority.