President Bola Tinubu is set to embark on a trip to Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday to participate in the fifth mid-year coordination meeting (5thMYCM) of the African Union (AU), regional economic communities (RECs), regional mechanisms (RMs), and AU member states.
Recently elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Tinubu will join heads of state, government officials, foreign ministers of AU member states, and other distinguished individuals at the mid-year meeting, which is scheduled for Sunday.
Dele Alake, the special adviser to the president on special duties, communications, and strategy, explained in a statement that as the chairman of ECOWAS, Tinubu will present a report on the progress of regional integration within the ECOWAS bloc. The report will highlight the initiatives undertaken by ECOWAS institutions, member states, the private sector, and other stakeholders to deepen integration through measures such as trade facilitation, the free movement of people, investment promotion, infrastructure development, and the maintenance of peace, security, and stability.
Under the theme of “Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation,” the 5th MYCM will bring together the Bureau of the AU assembly, comprising heads of state and government from Comoros, Botswana, Burundi, and Senegal, along with leaders from the eight RECs. These regional economic communities include ECOWAS, chaired by Nigeria; 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). Additionally, the meeting will involve the African Union Commission and the RMs.
Accompanied by senior government officials, President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria following the conclusion of the meeting.
