Tinubu Hosts Outgoing ECOWAS Commission President Touray In Abuja

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday received the outgoing President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, at the State House in Abuja.

Touray was accompanied to the Presidential Villa by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.

The State House media office released photographs of the meeting, but details of the discussions between Tinubu and the Gambian diplomat were not disclosed.

The visit comes weeks before Touray is expected to leave office as head of the executive arm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Touray assumed office as ECOWAS Commission President on July 3, 2022, following his unanimous nomination by the Gambian government and endorsement by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. His tenure covers the 2022–2026 period.

He succeeded Ivorian diplomat Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, who served as Commission President from 2018 to 2022.

Touray’s tenure coincided with significant political and security challenges across West Africa, including military takeovers, regional tensions and efforts to strengthen economic and diplomatic cooperation among member states.

Before his ECOWAS appointment, Touray held several senior diplomatic positions in The Gambia.

He served as the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and later became Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under former President Yahya Jammeh.

Touray left the foreign affairs portfolio in September 2009 and subsequently worked with the Islamic Development Bank before returning to diplomatic service and eventually becoming President of the ECOWAS Commission.