ECOWAS To Discuss Morocco’s Membership As Summit Opens In Abuja

The 52nd ECOWAS Heads of State and Government summit opened in Abuja on Saturday as leaders discuss Morocco’s membership of the bloc and the security situation in Guinea Bissau.

Morocco had made its request to be a member of ECOWAS while Tunisia requested to be an observer country.

The 51st Ordinary Session held in Monrovia, Liberia in June agreed in principle to Morocco’s membership of the sub-regional bloc and directed the commission to consider the implications of the country’s membership.

The commission confirmed that study on the impact of Morocco’s membership was carried out and the outcome would be submitted to the Authority.

Morocco was, however not invited for the 52nd summit.

Its Foreign Ministry reportedly said that the country had to wait until the first quarter of 2018 to know the decision of the ECOWAS Heads of State which would be announced at an extraordinary session.

Tunisia has, however, been granted an observer status by the authority and the commission has been further directed to take necessary measures to ensure all procedures relating to an observer status are implemented.

The commission also confirmed that the authority called on Mauritania to submit its request for readmission to ECOWAS.

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and Tunisian President Beji Essebsi are scheduled to make presentations as special guests at the opening session of the summit.

The summit would also discuss the political and security situation in Guinea Bissau.

The ECOWAS recently said its mission in Guinea Bissau had taken an “excruciating toll” on the financial resources of the sub-region.

The ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB) made up of troops from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Togo and Niger was deployed in May 2012 following a military coup in April 2012.