President Bola Tinubu says the Economic Community of West African States will continue to persuade the military leaders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to return their nations to the fold.
“We will do everything to offer a hand of friendship to them and give them reasons to come back to us,” Tinubu, who chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, reaffirmed at a meeting with ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff on Friday in Abuja.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed the outcome of the meeting in a statement he signed Friday evening titled ‘ECOWAS’ hand of friendship still open to Niger, Mali, And Burkina Faso, says President Tinubu.’
Tinubu’s comments come nearly three weeks after he hinted at plans for a special extraordinary session to discuss the future of the economic bloc.
The president, who spoke at the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana, on July 21, did not state the date of the meeting.
However, he said leaders will discuss ongoing talks with the estranged member states.
Tinubu was re-elected for another one-year tenure as ECOWAS Chairman at the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority held at the State House, Abuja, on July 7.
Speaking on Friday, Tinubu said, “It is in our hearts to make sure that security is enhanced and that constitutional government is defended and promoted in our region.
“It has been a challenging tenure for me since three members indicated their exit. We will work hard to persuade them to return, whichever way.
“No one man is smarter than the group of heads that is here.”
The ECOWAS Chairman commended the defence chiefs for their commitment to regional stability and protection of constitutional governance.
He also affirmed the commitment of member states to invest in its $2.6bn Standby Force, describing the initiative as the solution to terrorism in the Sahel.
“The solution to terrorism and other challenges lies in our hands. We have to do it together. The ECOWAS standby force must be ready.
“We will continue to invest in this, as well as in the economic prosperity and opportunities across our region,” President Tinubu said.
