Ecowas leaders meet in Accra today to discuss Nigeria, Mali
The security situation in Mali and Nigeria will dominate discussions when leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meet in an extraordinary session in Accra today.
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A statement from the Flagstaff House said the meeting, convened at the instance of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, President John Dramani Mahama, was expected to discuss matters of "urgent and mutual" concern, with the situation in northern Mali and parts of Nigeria as a central focus.
Eight Heads of State have confirmed their participation in the meeting, while the others will be represented.
Those attending personally are the Presidents of Nigeria, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Niger, Togo and Burkina Faso.
As of press time yesterday, the Guinean representative, in the person of the Foreign Minister, and the ECOWAS President, Mr Desire Ouedraogo, had arrived.
The session, to be held at the Movenpick Hotel, will see Mr Mahama delivering the opening address, while Mr Ouedraogo will deliver a speech.
Mali and Nigeria have dominated international discussions following the security situations in those countries.
Mali
The security situation in Mali has remained fragile since March 2012 when the army launched a coup against the Malian President, Amadou Toumani Toure.
In the heat of the troubles within the country, Tuareg rebels and Islamists captured the northern part of the country.
Their advance southward was halted by the French Army in early 2013.
Although there is relative peace in the northern part of the country, the situation is still not completely resolved.
The ECOWAS leaders will, therefore, discuss and initiate strategies to return absolute normalcy to that country.
Nigeria
With the Nigeria situation, Boko Haram remains the major security threat.
Currently, the over 200 schoolgirls the terrorist group abducted more than a month ago are still being held, with no sign of their release in the immediate future.
Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, is reported to have started moves to talk to the terrorists about the release of the girls.
In Accra today, ECOWAS leaders will advance strategies on how to deal with the situation.