UPDATED: Tinubu re-elected as ECOWAS Chairman, appoints Senegal President to strengthen ties with Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali

Kunle Sanni
President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), nearly a year after assuming the continental bloc’s leadership.
He was re-elected at the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of States and Government at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Nigeria.
During his opening remarks at the conference, President Tinubu urged ECOWAS member states to make financial contributions to aid in the fight against terrorism in the region.
President Tinubu, who accepted his re-election, appointed the President of Senegal to join in the mediation with Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
Faye, 44, was elected on a promise of radical change and has said he wants to bring Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger back into ECOWAS.
“As we move to operationalise the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in combating terrorism, I must emphasise that the success of this plan requires not only strong political will but also substantial financial resources,” he told the gathering.
“We must therefore ensure that we meet the expectations and recommendations set forth by our ministers of defence and finance in order to counter the insecurity and stabilise our region. Member states must make extra commitments to providing resources for stabilising the region.”