Nigerian president Bola Tinubu elected head of ECOWAS

West African heads of state elected Nigerian president Bola Tinubu to lead regional bloc ECOWAS next year, replacing Guinea-Bissau leader Umaro Sissoco Embalo.

Speaking at a summit in Bissau after being named president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Bola Tinubu said democracy was "the best form of government", although it was "very difficult to manage", he admitted.

The new head of ECOWAS also promised a hard line against any political coups in West Africa.

Since 2020 that three ECOWAS members, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, have suffered a total of five coups.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, urged the juntas in these countries to respect agreed deadlines for handing over power to civilian leaders. 

On Saturday, the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) agreed to lift Mali's suspension from its bodies and institutions, decided in January 2022 to sanction the junta's intention to remain in power for several years.