President Akufo-Addo Re-Elected As ECOWAS Chair
President Akufo-Addo has been re-appointment as Chair of the subregional group, ECOWAS for a second term.
The decision was taken at the just-ended 59th Ordinary Session held on Saturday, June 19, 2021, in Accra by consensus, an indication of the confidence reposed in him.
President Akufo-Addo was first elected to chair of the 15-member ECOWAS at its 57th Summit held in Niamey, Niger in September 2020.
He took over from Niger’s Mahamadou Issoufou.
He was subsequently reappointed by the Heads of States of the Authority after its Extraordinary Session in February 2021 to oversee the implementation of institutional reforms in the organization.
A communiqué issued after the Saturday’s Summit said “The Heads of State and Government appointed H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government for another one (1) year term.”
The Heads of State and Government have since decided to hold the next Ordinary Session in Abuja, the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Saturday 18 December 2021.
The leaders addressed a number of issues affecting the subregion.
COVID-19
The Authority took note of the Covid-19 situation in the region which revealed
stabilization of the situation resulting from efforts deployed by Member
States and WAHO.
ECOWAS encouraged the West Africa Health Organization to intensify its
efforts regarding the mobilisation of partnership for the production of AntiCOVID Vaccines in the region and note the need to introduce biometrically
passport in the Region.
The Authority charges the President of The Commission to work with the
member states and WAHO on the modalities to accelerate the re-opening of
land borders in a safe manner during the pandemic in line with the agreed
ECOWAS Harmonised Guidelines for Free Movement of People and Goods
during pandemics.
Peace and security
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to the promotion of peace, security,
and stability in the region as prerequisites for the economic integration and
development of the region.
On the political situation in the region, the Authority reiterated its concerns
over the crisis in Mali in the context of security challenges related to terrorist
attacks and the Covid-19 Pandemic with its dire socio-economic impacts.
The Authority welcomed the report submitted by H.E. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan, the ECOWAS Special Envoy and Mediator to Mali, sequel to his
mission to Mali from 8th to 9th June 2021 to engage stakeholders on the
decisions taken by ECOWAS Authority during its Extraordinary Summit held
on 30th May 2021 in Accra, Ghana.
Economy
After a negative growth of 0.8% in 2020 linked to the negative effects of
COVID-19, the Conference urged the member states to
accelerate the implementation of economic stimulus programs and projects
to support the ongoing recovery.
ECOWAS noted the need to implement sizeable financing plans for the
economies of the Region to support recovery.
In this regard, it welcomed the various initiatives underway, particularly the Paris Summit for the Financing of African Economies, as well as the G20 initiatives relating to the restructuring of the debts of developing countries. It calls for the speedy implementation of these initiatives.
ECOWAS commended the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) for
launching a facility to support African countries, including member countries
of the ECOWAS region, to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,
and also for its support to the G5 Sahel countries aiming at strengthening
national health systems. It also commends the Bank for its support of $22
million to the West Africa Health Organization (WAH0).
They also called on the AfDB to support quality health care
infrastructure and develop pharmaceutical industries in ECOWAS countries,
including the manufacture of vaccines.