ABUJA, NIGERIA - The next summit of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), in crisis after a series of recent military coups, will take place on December 10 in Abuja, the Côte d'Ivoire presidency announced on Thursday. "The next ordinary summit" of Ecowas "will take place on December 10 in Abuja", the Nigerian capital,

according to a press release issued by the presidency following a meeting in Abidjan on Wednesday between Ivorian head of state Alassane Ouattara and the president of the regional organization's commission, Omar Alieu Touray.

The last summit took place at the beginning of August, and was entirely devoted to the situation in Niger, following the military coup of July 26 that overthrew the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, who has since been sequestered in his residence in Niamey.

Of the fifteen member countries of Ecowas, four have been ruled since 2020 by military leaders following coups d'état: Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea. All have since been suspended from the organization, and will therefore not be represented at the Abuja summit.