President Tinubu arrives Guinea-Bissau for ECOWAS summit
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria has arrived in Guinea-Bissau for the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This summit follows his successful participation in the “A New Global Financing Pact” summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. President Tinubu’s visit to Guinea-Bissau also includes a visit to Nigerian troops stationed in the country as part of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Force.
The 63rd Ordinary Session summit, set to open on July 9, 2023, marks President Tinubu’s first international engagement within Africa since taking office on May 29, 2023. The President’s arrival in Bissau was met with anticipation, and he is expected to play a central role during the summit.
During the summit, the 16 regional leaders will address important sub-regional issues, including security challenges faced by member countries, the financial situation of ECOWAS, and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Other topics on the agenda include the transition status in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme, and obstacles to the free movement of goods on the Abidjan-Lagos corridor.
In addition to participating in the summit, President Tinubu will engage in bilateral meetings and other activities on the sidelines of the event.
Accompanying him on this trip are key officials such as the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Acting Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Folashodun Shonubi, and several permanent secretaries and ambassadors.
Notable members of President Tinubu’s entourage include former Governors Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Abdullahi Ganduje, Abubakar Badaru, and Senator Abu Ibrahim.
