Nigeria's President elected ECOWAS chairman

Tinubu replaces Guinea-Bissau's leader, Umaro Sissoco Embalo.

During a summit in Bissau, Tinubu emphasised the importance of democracy as the best form of governance, acknowledging its challenges also. 

He expressed the need for West Africa to set an example for the rest of Africa and the world by upholding democracy and preventing frequent coups.

The ECOWAS commission's president, Omar Alieu Touray, urged ruling juntas in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso to respect the agreed-upon deadlines for transitioning to civilian leadership. 

He warned that failure to meet these deadlines could result in major sanctions being imposed.

The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) announced on Saturday that it was lifting the suspension on Mali, which was imposed in January 2022 due to the military's timeline for returning to civilian rule. 

ECOWAS had previously imposed various measures against Mali but lifted them in July 2022 after the junta agreed to a transition by March 2024.

Touray also mentioned that ECOWAS had established a commission to assess security options in Mali as the United Nations concludes its decade-long peacekeeping mission in the country. 

This commission has been given 90 days to make proposals.

Tinubu, who became Nigeria's president in May, pledged to pursue inclusive economic integration among ECOWAS members in the coming year. 

He emphasized the need to address the exploitation of the region's people, stating that enough suffering had already been endured.

Tinubu concluded by expressing his support for ECOWAS and declaring that Nigeria is back as an active participant in regional affairs.