ABUJA, Dec 15 (The African Portal) – West African leaders have unanimously endorsed Ghana’s President John Mahama as their candidate for the chairmanship of the African Union.
The backing was agreed at the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held on Sunday in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
The endorsement follows earlier support from ECOWAS foreign ministers, giving President Mahama the highest level of regional approval and presenting a united West African front ahead of the continental contest.
Although the summit was largely dominated by pressing security concerns in the sub-region, the decision to rally behind President Mahama is seen as a strategic move to strengthen West Africa’s influence within the African Union.
ECOWAS officials say his candidacy offers an opportunity to better align regional and continental approaches, particularly on peace and security, democratic governance and economic integration.
Security challenges featured prominently during the meeting, with leaders condemning a recent attempted coup in Benin and expressing concern over continued political instability in Guinea-Bissau.
The ECOWAS Chair, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, praised the rapid deployment of the ECOWAS Standby Force to support Benin’s government following the December 7 incident. He said the intervention had been recognised by both the African Union and the United Nations.
Addressing the summit, President Bio said the bloc — which marks its 50th anniversary this year — was at a critical juncture.
“Our collective security and our democratic resilience are under test,” he said.
As part of measures agreed at the meeting, leaders decided to maintain Guinea-Bissau’s suspension from ECOWAS and approved the deployment of a high-level mediation mission to help resolve the country’s political crisis.
The summit also addressed economic integration, with heads of state reaffirming their commitment to a comprehensive review of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme to boost intra-regional trade.
In a move expected to have a direct impact on citizens, ECOWAS announced plans to abolish certain air transport taxes and cut related charges by 25%, effective from 1 January 2026, in an effort to reduce the cost of travel across the region.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, also announced the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Business Council, which will be chaired by Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of continued divisions within the bloc, with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger absent following their withdrawal from ECOWAS earlier this year.
