The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Sunday departed Abuja to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 69th Ordinary Session of the Authority of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha.

According to the statement, Shettima will join other political and business leaders from across West Africa and beyond at the summit taking place at the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre in Freetown.

“The summit is expected to focus on key policy decisions, strategic resolutions, and reaffirm the leaders’ collective commitment to peace, democracy, economic growth, and regional integration,” the statement read.

It added, “A part of the ECOWAS Mid-Year statutory meeting, the summit will bring together Heads of State and Government, Ministers, senior officials and regional institutions to advance the Community’s shared priorities of security, democratic governance, economic integration, trade, infrastructure and sustainable development.”

The statement added that the Vice President would return to Abuja at the conclusion of his engagements in Sierra Leone.

The summit brings together West African leaders to adopt strategic resolutions on peace, security, democratic governance, economic integration, trade, infrastructure, and sustainable development.

It aims to strengthen regional cooperation and address shared challenges amid evolving political and economic dynamics in the sub-region.