Mali: Osinbajo In Accra For ECOWAS Summit

By Uche Mbah

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, left Abuja, Nigerian Capital, for Accra, Ghana Sunday for an “Extraordinary Summit” of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Osinbajo, who is to represent President Muhammadu Buhari, is there to discuss the precarious situation in Mali. He is expected back to Nigeria later the same day.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, released a statement to this effect, titled ‘VP Osinbajo off to Accra, representing Nigeria at ECOWAS extraordinary summit on Mali’.

According to Akande, Sunday’s meeting is “expected to be attended by leaders across the region (and) follows previous meetings and efforts by the leaders to resolve the situations in Mali and Guinea.

“In 2021, Osinbajo participated in meetings of leaders across the sub-region on the issues exploring solutions.

” On September 8, he participated in a virtual summit of the regional body where sanctions were imposed on the military junta in Guinea, and on the 16th of the same month, attended another ECOWAS summit where further sanctions on individuals and groups fueling the crisis in Guinea and Mali were discussed.

“Later in November 2021, the Vice President again joined other leaders in Accra for the 3rd Extraordinary Summit of leaders across the sub-region to review decisions and the political situations in Mali and Guinea.

” In compliance with the decisions of the leaders, ECOWAS mediator, former President Goodluck Jonathan traveled to Mali on January 5, 2022, where he met with authorities over the timetable for democratic transition.

“Jonathan had, on January 6, briefed the President on the outcome of that meeting.”

Osinbajo was accompanied by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada.