Abuja: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, announced the forthcoming maiden West African Economic Summit (WAES) as a practical step towards enhancing economic integration in the region. Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Tuggar reaffirmed Nigeria's preparedness to host the event, which is scheduled for June 20 to 21.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Tuggar emphasized that the summit is an initiative of President Bola Tinubu, designed to advance trade relations and market economies among Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) within the sub-region. Tuggar expressed Nigeria's commitment to host WAES 2025 under President Tinubu's leadership, highlighting it as a pivotal economic gathering aimed at unlocking regional opportunities and serving as a strategic platform for shaping the economic future of West Africa.
The summit is expected to bring together Heads of States, Ministers, private sector leaders, development partners, and youth innovators from across West Africa and beyond. Tuggar stated that the event would enhance economic integration among West African countries by fostering partnerships in the economic sector. Additionally, it aims to strengthen cross-border trade relations in alignment with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) vision.
Tuggar highlighted the long-term objectives of sustaining the WAES initiative, noting that the success of the summit would catalyze future events by partnering with the private sector to promote regional integration. He revealed a collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to extend WAES ownership to the entire sub-region, creating a template for regional adoption and utilization.
The minister further explained that the template would fortify institutions, tackle challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation, and engage civil society to enhance understanding between governments and the populace, ultimately strengthening the social contract.