59th ECOWAS Ordinary Summit comes off in Accra

Ghana will host the 59th Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government from Tuesday, June 15 to Saturday, June 19, in Accra.

The meeting would deliberate on pertinent issues threatening the peace and stability of the West African sub-region and find solutions to them.

It would be attended by 15 Heads of State in West Africa, except Mali, which has been suspended from the regional bloc following the recent political upheavals there.

Other dignitaries expected include the ECOWAS President and Vice, Commissioners and supporting staff and former Nigeria President, Mr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who is the ECOWAS Special Envoy, mediating the Mali political crisis.

He would present a report on his recent visit to the West African country after the Emergency ECOWAS Summit held in Accra on May 30, 2021.

A communique would be issued at the end of the Summit to highlight key decisions reached during the deliberations.

Ms Shirley Ayorko Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, announced this at the Minister’s media briefing in Accra on Monday.

The Summit would be preceded by the 46th Ordinary Meeting of ECOWAS Mediation and Security Ministerial Council on Tuesday, June 15 and 86th Ordinary Meeting of ECOWAS Council of Ministers on June 16 and 17 at the Movenpic Hotel in Accra.

Other equally important issues on the agenda include ECOWAS Vision 2050, ECOWAS Information and Research Forum; humanitarian issues in the sub-region, report on ECOWAS Trade and Industry Ministerial Meeting, Ministerial Report on ECOWAS Single Currency and New Convergence Path, Regional Flood Risk Initiative and Management Strategy as well as the ECOWAS Gender Strategy and Action Plan.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, ECOWAS Chair, is expected to open the 59th Ordinary Summit at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel in Accra on Saturday.

Source: GNA