ECOWAS leaders began deliberations on Sunday on crucial sub-regional and continental matters including reports on political crises in Mali and Guinea Conakry.

The meeting, hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari, has President of Ghana and Chairman of ECOWAS Authority, Nana Akufo-Addo in attendance.

Others in attendance are President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema and President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic.

Also in attendance are President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea Bissau, President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone and President Jose Maria Neves of Cape Verde.

NAN observed that President Jose Maria Neves of Cape Verde is participating in the ECOWAS meeting for the first time

Presidents Adama Barrow of The Gambia and Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire as well as Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan, ECOWAS Mediator on Mali, are also at the meeting.

The meeting is expected to deliberate on the 2021 Annual Report of ECOWAS and the Report of the 47th Ordinary Meeting of the Mediation and Security Council.

It will also deliberate on the Report of the 87th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.

Another issue to be deliberated upon is the Declaration of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Climate.

The meeting will also consider the appointment of an ECOWAS Champion for the return of cultural artefacts, and the report on the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme by Ken Ofori-Affa.

Ofori-Affa is the Chair of the Ministerial Committee on the Single Currency.

NAN reports that winners of the ECOWAS Prize for Excellence are also expected to receive their various prizes at the event.