Luanda – Gabon’s president Ali Bongo took over the rotating leadership of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), replacing his counterpart from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi.
The succession took place during the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECCAS, which ended on Saturday, in Kinshasa, capital of the DRC, according to the Angolan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX).
The MIREX document stresses that Angola was represented by a delegation headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, on behalf of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço.
The closing ceremony was marked by several speeches, with stress to Ambassador Abdou Abary, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA).
During the Summit, the note added, the Heads of State and Government, as well as the respective representatives, analysed and adopted several documents, among which the Report of the Council of Ministers.
The meeting also analysed the Annual Report of the President of the Commission, the Report on the ECCAS facilitation period, as part of the transition process in the Republic of Chad and the Protocol on the Strategy for the Development of a Sustainable Blue Economy in Central Africa.
The documents include the Decision on the approval of the Plan of Priority Actions for the year 2023 and the Decision on the approval of the Memorandum of Understanding between ECCAS and the Member States on the capabilities promised to the Central African Multilateral Force ( FOMAC).
The Heads of State and Government also signed the protocols relating to the revised strategy on the Protection and Security of vital interests at sea and in continental waters shared by ECCAS Member States.
The documents analysed feature the Strategy on the Development of a Sustainable Blue Economy in Central Africa, as well as the Decision on the approval of the armament cycle for the posts of the Regional General Staff of FOMAC for the horizon of 2050.
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) was created in Libreville, Gabon, in December 1981, becoming operational only in 1985.
The Community comprises Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). AL
