Abuja, 22 December 2018. The opening ceremony of the summit featured the welcome address by the Nigerian Head of State and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Muhammadu Buhari, followed by statements of the ECOWAS Commission President, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas.

During the meeting, West African leaders will consider a number of reports on the political situation in Guinea Bissau, Togo and the region; the Presidential Task Force on the Trade Liberalisation Scheme of the regional organisation; the Community single currency; and infrastructure.

They will equally consider the final report of the 41^st ordinary meeting of the Mediation and Security Council, and that of the 81^st ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, as well as the 2018 Annual Report of the ECOWAS Commission President.

The documents will be presented at a closed-door session to be only attended by the Heads of State and Government.

The signing of Community Acts and Decisions including the accession of Cabo Verde to the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan Corridor programme with the introduction of a maritime component; reading of the Political Declaration on ECOWAS Common Position on the return of Cultural Artefacts to Africa, as well as the Final Communique; the press conference; and the date and venue of the 55^th Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government will be other key highlights of the Abuja meeting.

It is worth noting that a roundtable on electricity interconnection for sustainable development in Africa will hold on the sidelines of the Summit.