Nigeria’s bubbling federal capital city, Abuja is agog as the city’s major entry points wear new looks ahead of today’s meeting of the 55th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of Economic Community of West African States in the city.
President Muhammadu Buhari is hosting as Current Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
The regional organization which was established with the signing of the treaties on the 28th of May, 1975, in Lagos, is a peacekeeping organization aimed at helping member states achieve stability.
Since its creation, ECOWAS has established the ECOWAS Monetary Zone, known as the WAMZ, to fashion a common monetary policy and common currency also known as eco, for the region.
BusinessDay gathered that today’s meeting will take a critical look at the challenges faced by the shrinking Lake Chad waters that have put over 10 million lives at risks and its implementations for other countries within the region.
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The Nigerian government has been at the forefront of efforts to recharge the lake which is estimated to cost over $15b, with the United Nation’s Secretary-General and President Muhammadu Buhari co-chairing the fundraising plans.
Insecurity, cross border crimes, small and light weapon infiltration, as well as illicit flows, are issues of strong concern that will attract the attention of the ECOWAS leaders during the one day summit
The meeting is expected to offer a unique opportunity for the ECOWAS leaders and decision-makers to discuss new cooperation approaches to counter the challenges of insecurity in the region, including illicit flows and other transnational crimes.
The meeting is also expected to receive goodwill messages from the Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, President of the International Criminal Court, as well as Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission, Abdul Fattah el-Sisf who took over in February, this year.
