The President of Gambia attends the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summit.
Ahmed Salem
The Office of the President announces to the public that President Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia, will attend the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Mid-Year Summit scheduled to be held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
President Barrow will join other heads of state and government to discuss key regional issues and strengthen collective efforts towards sustainable development within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The President and his accompanying delegation will depart from Banjul International Airport tomorrow, Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 11:00 AM.
The economic group discusses the 2026–2027 budget
The Economic Group, chaired by the Vice President of the Republic, Professor James Wani Igga, held its periodic meeting at the headquarters of the Central Bank of South Sudan in the capital, Juba, to discuss the draft general budget for the fiscal year 2026-2027, which is one of the most prominent economic plans for the next stage in the country.
During the meeting, the Minister of Finance and Planning, Chol Daniel Ayolo, presented a detailed overview of the draft budget, estimated at approximately 11.335 trillion South Sudanese pounds, under the slogan «Building Resilience and Achieving Sustainable and Prosperous Peace,» with a focus on boosting revenues and directing resources towards productive sectors.
The economic group recommended that the draft budget be referred to the Cabinet for approval, in preparation for its presentation to the Transitional National Legislative Council for discussion and approval. The group's spokesperson, Lily Albino Akol, confirmed that the priorities would focus on supporting the agricultural sector and food security, in addition to developing mining and livestock to drive economic growth.
The energy and food security sectors in Africa are undergoing major transformations.
In a separate context, recent reports have identified major economic shifts in Africa related to energy, clean energy and refining activities, as well as food security, to avoid the fluctuations of global crises and disruptions to supply chains.
Kenya and Tanzania compete for one of the world's largest oil refineries.
East Africa is witnessing fierce economic competition between Kenya and Tanzania to win the right to host a giant oil refinery project backed by prominent Nigerian billionaire and industrialist Aliko Dangote.
This is the richest man in Africa, and the project is described as one of the most transformative and attractive energy investments in the history of the African continent.
