President Akufo-Addo has for the second time been elected as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

This was announced in an ECOWAS communique issued at the end of a conference held by the heads of states of the Community.

During an extraordinary session held on February 2, 2021, via video conference, the heads of states decided by consensus that, President Akufo-Addo will continue as ECOWAS Chairman for one more year.

He has been mandated to oversee the implementation of institutional reforms relating to enhanced financial management and internal control of the Institution.

He was first elected on the September 7, 2020, to serve a one year mandate as ECOWAS chair.

He succeeded Niger President, Mahamadou Issoufou who was elected on June 29, 2019.

In the statement announcing the renewal of his mandate, the Heads of States of the Authority expressed sincere appreciation to "H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for his leadership in steering the affairs of the Community."

"To this end, the Authority calls on H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa AkufoAddo, President of the Republic of Ghana, with the support of the Ministerial Ad hoc Committee on Institutional Reform, to lead reflection on the issue.

"A Report on this point will be submitted to the Ordinary Session of the Authority to be held in June 2021. To that effect, a general consensus emerged from the Heads of State and Government that H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo continue for a second term as Chair of the ECOWAS Authority to oversee the implementation of the Reform," the communique added.

ECOWAS is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa.

The union was established on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the 'Treaty of Lagos,' with its stated mission to promote economic integration across the region.

However, a revised version of the treaty was agreed and signed on July 24, 1993, in Cotonou.

The Community also serves as a peacekeeping force in the region, with member states occasionally sending joint military forces to intervene in the bloc's member countries at times of political instability and unrest.