President Bola Tinubu has pledged to bolster democratic values in West Africa following his re-election as chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
First elected in July 2023 in Guinea-Bissau, Tinubu was re-elected during the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on Sunday in Abuja.
In his acceptance speech, President Tinubu emphasized his commitment to democracy in the region. “I have accepted to continue the service to the great members and the great minds that are committed to democratic values and our journey in the region,” he said, according to a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale. “I will continue to serve our interest and build on democratic values and the structure that we inherited. Thank you very much.”
Tinubu’s first term as ECOWAS chair was marked by several military coups in the region, with juntas taking power in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic. Despite ECOWAS imposing sanctions, these countries left the regional bloc.
In a bid to resolve these crises, President Tinubu appointed Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé as Special Envoys to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic. “I have appointed the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to please become our Special Envoy to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic, along with the President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, to do around-the-clock work with our brothers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic, and to coordinate with me and the ECOWAS Commission, where necessary,” Tinubu announced.
