ECOWAS FINANCE LEADERS CONVENE IN FREETOWN AHEAD OF MID-YEAR SUMMIT

By Alhaji A. Barrie
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — Sunday, 12 July 2026

The 39th Session of the ECOWAS Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) opened in Freetown on Sunday, marking the start of statutory meetings ahead of the 2026 ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit.

Delegates from 12 ECOWAS Member States gathered at the Bintumani International Conference Centre to review the Community’s administrative and financial matters. Key items on the agenda include budget performance, audit reports, and proposals for institutional reforms.

AFC Chairman Mr. Komba Momoh said the committee plays a critical role in ensuring financial accountability and efficiency within ECOWAS, particularly as the region faces multiple challenges.

“The Administration and Finance Committee remains central to ensuring sound governance, financial accountability, institutional efficiency, and prudent resource management within ECOWAS,” Mr. Momoh said.

He urged delegates to work toward practical recommendations that will support decisions by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Speaking on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission, Vice President H.E. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja stressed that financial management must be tied to the region’s pressing priorities.

She called for stronger collaboration among Member States on peace and security, climate change, youth unemployment, and institutional resilience, noting that these areas are essential to achieving the ECOWAS Vision 2050.

The AFC meeting is the first in a series of technical sessions leading to the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit. Recommendations from the committee will be forwarded to Ministers and later to Heads of State for consideration and adoption.

As current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio is hosting the week-long engagements in Freetown and Lungi. The meeting attracted hundreds of delegates, technical experts, and development partners.