Buhari to attend ECOWAS summit in Niger Monday

President Muhammadu Buhari will leave for Niamey, Niger Republic on Monday to attend the 57th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said President Buhari would present a report on the COVID-19 pandemic in the region to the summit.

The summit will also receive a special report on the ECOWAS single currency programme to be presented by the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Bio, and Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the West African Monetary Zone, Alassane Ouattara.

The statement read: “President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja Monday for Niamey, Niger Republic to participate in the 57th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

“The one-day summit will deliberate on the Special Report on COVID-19 to be presented by President Buhari who was appointed the ECOWAS Champion on the Fight against COVID-19 during the Extraordinary Virtual Summit of ECOWAS on April 23, 2020.

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“As a champion, the Nigerian leader was expected to coordinate the sub-regional response against the pandemic. In furtherance of that objective, under the supervision of the Champion, Nigerian Ministers of Health, Aviation, and Finance were appointed Chairpersons of the Ministerial Coordination Committees on Health; Transport, Logistics, and Trade; and Finance respectively.

“The alarming rise in incidents of terrorism, insurgency, armed banditry, and piracy will also come under focus, while the disruption of the democratic process by the military in Mali, will receive further attention.

“Similarly, in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Niger where parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled for this year, the imperative to strengthen democracy in the sub-region by respecting constitutional provisions, rule of law and outcomes of free and fair polls, will be emphasised.

“President Buhari, who will be accompanied to the Summit by ministers and other top government officials, will return to Abuja after the meeting.”

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