Mali absent as Buhari, others attend 59th ordinary session of ECOWAS in Ghana

The 59th ordinary session of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government has opened in Accra, Ghana

President Muhammadu Buhari, and other Presidents from other countries in the region, except Mali is in Attendance

Mali was suspended at the extraordinary session held in Accra in May over the military take over of government in the country

The situation in Mali will be part of issues to be discussed

The Authority will be considering ways to ensure the country returns to democracy and the Ecowas Special Envoy, Former President Goodluck Jonathan will be making a presentation on mediation efforts in Mali

Reports of the 46th ordinary session of the ECOWAS mediation and security Council will also be considered

Also attending from Nigeria are, the Minister of foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of State for foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, Minister of Finance, Budget and National planning, Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi, Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, the National security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno, the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar and the Governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele

The delegates will have inputs in the decisions as the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government will be considering issues of single currency that has been stalled by the effects of covid-19

The Authority in this one day summit will also deliberate on the reports of the 86th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of ministers who considered memorandum on the post COVID-19 industry recovery plans, 2021 mid term report of the President of ECOWAS Commission and the ongoing institutional reforms.