Morocco Not on agenda of ECOWAS Summit

Morocco is not on the agenda of the 54th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS’ Heads of State and Government, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Morocco had requested to be a member of ECOWAS while Tunisia requested to be an observer country.

The 51st Ordinary Session held in Monrovia, Liberia in June 2017 agreed, in principle, to Morocco’s membership of the sub-regional bloc and directed the commission to consider the implications of the country’s membership.

The commission confirmed that study on the impact of Morocco’s membership was carried out and the outcome would be submitted to the Authority.

Morocco’s Foreign Ministry had reportedly said that the country had to wait until the first quarter of 2018 to know the decision of the ECOWAS Heads of State, which would be announced at an extraordinary session.

The decision was, however, expected to be considered at the 2018 session taking place in Abuja on Saturday.

The summit would, nevertheless, consider the reports on ECOWAS Single Currency, the political situation in Guinea Bissau and Togo among any other business.

According to the Draft Work Programme, the session would also sign Community Acts and Decisions and read to the ECOWAS Political Declaration and Common Position on the Return of Cultural Artefacts to Africa.

The Authority would also consider the Annual Report of ECOWAS, reports of the 41st Ordinary Meeting of the Mediation and Security Council and the 81st Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers. (NAN)