Cape Verde may be given the vice-presidency of the ECOWAS Commission, according to Cape Verdean Prime Minister José Maria Neves. Fernando Wahnon is the name being indicated by ECOWAS ministers, and, if there is consensus among the other countries in the organization, the diplomat may be named as the ECOWAS Commission’s second-in-command before the end of the summit of ECOWAS heads of state and government on Sal.

According to José Maria Neves, consensus exists in the ECOWAS Council of Ministers regarding Fernando Wahnon’s nomination as ECOWAS Commission vice-president, although the other posts still have to be defined by member countries. “There is a discussion among the countries regarding the posts for the nine commissioners who will make up the ECOWAS Commission,” affirms Neves.

Even so, he says, the final decision is likely to be made only in the meeting of heads of state and government that is taking place at this moment in a Santa Maria hotel. “If there is consensus regarding the vice-presidency, Cape Verde will run. If not, we’ll have a commissioner on the commission,” he affirms.

In the Prime Minister’s opinion, the decision has not yet been made only because there is still a lack of consensus regarding the other countries to sit on the Commission. “The presidency has to be discussed, followed by the vice-presidency, and then the other posts on the commission. But at the moment we have wide consensus regarding Cape Verde’s intention to obtain the post of vice-president, whether Cape Verde is nominated or not.”