Tinubu departs Abuja for African Union meeting in Nairobi

In order to attend the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities, the Regional Mechanisms, and the African Union Member States, President Bola Tinubu has left Abuja for Nairobi, Kenya.

Senior government officials are with President Tinubu.

The mid-year meeting will be held on Sunday, July 16, and will be attended by Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers of AU Member States, and other high-ranking officials, according to the Presidency. The Nigerian leader will also be present as Chairperson of ECOWAS.

The President will give a report on the state of regional integration in ECOWAS, highlighting efforts made by ECOWAS institutions, member states, the private sector, and other stakeholders to advance integration through trade, freedom of movement for people and goods, promoting investment, developing infrastructure, and maintaining peace, security, and stability during the period under review.

The Bureau of the AU Assembly, which consists of the Heads of State and Government from Comoros, Botswana, Burundi, and Senegal, will attend the 5th MYCM, which is taking place under the AU's theme for 2023, "Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation," along with the heads of the eight RECs.

The East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN SAD), the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) are among these regional economic communities. ECOWAS, which is led by Nigeria, is one of these regional economic communities.

The African Union Commission and the RMs will also be present, according to a statement released on Friday by the president's spokesperson, Dele Alake.

After the meeting, President Tinubu is anticipated to leave the region once more.

Source