President Bola Tinubu will depart from Abuja for Guinea-Bissau on Saturday (tomorrow) to attend the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which takes place on Sunday, in Bissau, the nation’s capital.

This was made known by the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, Dele Alake, in a statement on Friday.

According to Alake, President Tinubu will be accompanied by some members of the Presidential Policy Advisory Council and other top government officials.

He said the President is expected back in the country at the end of the meeting.

“The Summit, which takes place on Sunday, July 9, is expected to address memoranda on pressing sub-regional issues including the Report of the 50th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) covering security challenges faced by the member countries; Report of the 90th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Council of Ministers on the financial situation of the body and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); as well as Report on the status of Transition in the Republics of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

“Other items slated for discussion include Memoranda on the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme and the Report on Obstacles to Free Movement of Goods on the Abidjan- Lagos corridor,” the statement added.

This will be Tinubu’s second official outing outside the country since he was sworn in as the 16th President of Nigeria on May 29.

Tinubu first left the country as President on June 20 to Paris, France for a two-day New Global Financial Pact organised by French President Emmanuel Macron.

At the event, the Nigerian leader joined other world leaders to review and sign a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on a priority list for support and investment, following the devastating impact of climate change, the energy crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the visit to Paris, the President also used the opportunity to partake in an interactive session with the Nigerian community in France.

After the two-day summit, the President proceeded to London, United Kingdom, for a “short private visit.”

He eventually returned to the country on June 27, arriving in Lagos where he spent the Sallah holiday before returning to Abuja. (Channels TV)

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