From: AIDOGHIE PAULINUS, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting with heads of state and government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

The closed door session of the 52nd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS began at about 11:00am.

Present at the session are 14 Heads of State and Government of member countries, but for President Adama Barrow of Gambia.

Barrow is being represented by Gambia’s Vice President, Fatoumata Tambajang. Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is also present at the session.

The ECOWAS Commission, in a statement, made available to Daily Sun, at the venue of the session, said institutional issues, political and security situation in Guinea Bissau, allocation of statutory positions in ECOWAS, Tunisia’s observer status, association agreement between the regional organisation and Mauritania, as well as Morocco’s membership of ECOWAS, will be among the main items.

Recall that during the 51st Ordinary Session of ECOWAS held in June 2017, in Moronvia, Liberia, ECOWAS leaders agreed in principle to Morocco’s membership of ECOWAS.

On the issue of Mauritania, a former member of ECOWAS, the leaders called on Mauritania to submit a request for readmission, while an observer status was granted to Tunisia.

“In that regard, there will be presentations during the Abuja summit on the implementation of the association agreement between ECOWAS and Mauritania, as well as on the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Tunisia as observer of the regional organisation,” the ECOWAS Commission said.