Outgoing President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr Omar Touray, has held a high-level meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, weeks before his formal departure from office.
The Gambian career diplomat, who assumed leadership of the regional bloc’s executive arm on 3 July 2022 for the 2022–2026 tenure, is preparing to step down. His appointment followed a unanimous nomination by The Gambia and endorsement by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, taking over from Ivorian diplomat Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, who served from 2018.
Images issued by the State House media office confirmed Touray arrived at the Presidential Villa alongside the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye. Details regarding the private discussions remain confidential.
Prior to leading ECOWAS, Touray built an extensive diplomatic career, serving as The Gambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under former President Yahya Jammeh until his dismissal in September 2009. He subsequently spent time with the Islamic Development Bank before making a return to international diplomatic service.