President Bola Tinubu has departed for Nairobi, Kenya to participate in the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5thMYCM) organized by the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and the African Union Member States.
In his role as the Chairperson of ECOWAS, President Tinubu joined other Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers of AU Member-States, and esteemed dignitaries for the mid-year meeting held on Sunday, July 6.
According to a statement from Dele Alake, the President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, Tinubu presented a comprehensive report on the progress of regional integration within ECOWAS.
The report highlighted the efforts made by ECOWAS institutions, member-states, the private sector, and other stakeholders to deepen integration through aspects like trade, free movement of persons, investment promotion, infrastructure development, as well as peace, security, and stability.
The 5th MYCM, aligning with the AU’s 2023 theme, “Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation,” brought together the Bureau of the AU Assembly, comprised of Heads of State and Government from Comoros, Botswana, Burundi, Senegal, and leaders of the eight RECs.
These eight regional economic communities encompass ECOWAS, chaired by Nigeria, as well as the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN SAD), the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
The meeting also involved the African Union Commission and the Regional Mechanisms (RMs).
President Tinubu, accompanied by senior government officials, is expected to return to the country upon the conclusion of the meeting.