President Bola Tinubu is set to depart Abuja on Saturday, July 20, for Accra, Ghana, to participate in the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU). The gathering will include the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and member states of the AU.
In his role as the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu will address the assembly on the status of regional integration across various sectors in Africa. He will highlight both the achievements and challenges that West Africa has faced since the last meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, in July 2023.
The President’s presentation, titled the ‘2024 Report on the State of the Community’, will cover a range of critical issues including peace and regional security, governance, economic integration, humanitarian and social development, as well as energy, mines, and agriculture.
This year’s meeting is convened under the AU’s 2024 theme: “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century,” emphasizing the importance of education and skills development for the continent’s future.
The Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, established in 2017, serves as the main platform for the AU and the RECs to synchronize their efforts and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda, replacing the former June/July summits.
In July 2023, shortly after his election as ECOWAS Chairman, President Tinubu delivered his inaugural address at the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Nairobi, where he underscored Africa’s resilience and the imperative for unity.
The agenda in Accra will include a review of the AU’s early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms and discussions on enhancing cooperation among the regional economic communities to fast-track integration efforts.
A declaration will be adopted at the conclusion of the meeting, outlining the commitments and action plans agreed upon by the participants.
President Tinubu will be accompanied by senior government officials and is expected to return to Nigeria following the meeting’s conclusion.
