Tinubu Hosts Outgoing ECOWAS Commission Boss, Dr Omar Touray

In a significant diplomatic engagement, President Bola Tinubu welcomed the outgoing President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, to the State House in Abuja on Thursday. The visit, which took place in the presence of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, was part of the formalities preceding Dr Touray's handover of the leadership of the regional bloc. Although the details of their closed-door discussion were not immediately disclosed, it is understood that the meeting was a courtesy call as Dr Touray prepares to relinquish his position as the head of the ECOWAS Commission, a role he assumed on July 3, 2022, following his unanimous nomination by The Gambia and subsequent endorsement by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for a four-year term. Prior to his appointment at ECOWAS, Dr Touray had a distinguished career in diplomacy, serving as The Gambia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and later as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under former President Yahya Jammeh. He also worked with the Islamic Development Bank before returning to diplomatic service. Dr Touray succeeded Ivorian diplomat Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, who led the Commission from 2018. As the regional bloc continues to navigate the complexities of West African integration and cooperation, the meeting between President Tinubu and Dr Touray underscores the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic ties among member states.