The President of Senegal, Macky Sall has been elected as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
He was elected at the 47th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of Ecowas held in Accra.
He takes over from Ghana’s President, Johan Dramani Mahama who held the position for nearly two terms.
During his tenure, President Mahama, presided over successful elections in Nigeria and Togo. He also also brokered a peace pact in Burkina Faso after protests broke out in Ouagadougou in 2014 during an attempt by former President Blaise Compoare to amend the constitution to make him eligible for another term.
Earlier on Tuesday, President Mahama charged his colleague heads of states to take immediate steps to tackle high levels of youth unemployment in the sub-region.
“I believe that one of the major challenges facing our sub region and not only our sub region, but indeed the whole of the world is the issue of youth and jobs and it is my hope that the ECOWAS Commission will take up this issue as an issue for discussion because the challenge for job creation for young people is going to be a challenge that faces every single country in our sub region,” he added.
The meeting held in Accra also discussed among other issues the postponement of the 40th anniversary of the sub-regional body.
A communiqué which will be issued after the one-day meeting will also limit the terms of leaders to a mandatory two-term tenure.
By: citifmonline.com/Ghana