Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, is in Abuja to attend the 66th Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS.

Upon his arrival at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, he was welcomed by several officials including Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Julius F. Sandi, outgoing Deputy High Commissioner Anna Moussa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francess Piagie Alghali, and protocol officers from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The summit aims to bring together ECOWAS Heads of State to address various issues, including political, economic, and security challenges facing the sub-region. The leaders are anticipated to develop collaborative strategies to promote peace and stability in West Africa.

Experts note that this session may reflect discussions from an earlier meeting held in June, which concentrated on economic concerns, food security, and regional peace.

Currently, West Africa is grappling with economic stagnation attributed to factors such as the war in Ukraine and the residual impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, political tensions persist in several areas, with four of the 15 ECOWAS member countries currently under military rule.