Marathon
By Muhyideen Jimoh and Emmanuel Afonne
Abuja, Dec. 5, 2019 (NAN) No fewer than 500 international and local athletes will participate in the maiden ECOWAS-Abuja International Half Marathon scheduled to hold on Dec. 14.
Mr Francis Njoaguani, Director, ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre, while addressing newsmen in Abuja on preparations, said the event is open to athletes outside West Africa.
Njoaguani said the race with the theme “Run for Unity and Integration” is being organised in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and would see athletes win cash prizes ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
According to him, adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure a hitch free race expected to cover about 22km.
“As ECOWAS, we don’t believe that Abuja has a problem with security; we are convinced that the Federal Government is equal to the task.
“The Minister of FCT is part of the process and we believe that they will put in place all the necessary mechanisms to ensure safety of all the athletes.
“The proof that we have today is that International athletes have already registered because as at now, we have four athletes from Ethiopia and Kenya who have indicated interest to be part of the process.
“We have also got confirmation from some Cameroonian athletes that they will be part of the event and all these are evidences that Abuja is a good enough place for the race.
“There is no difference in security situation in Nigeria compared to any other part of the world; every day we hear incidence of attack but that doesn’t stop life from going on.
“So, security agents and authority in Nigeria are fully capable of ensuring not just the safety of athletes but all other people that will come out to cheer athletes to the finishing line,” Njoaguani.
On her part, Director of Sports, FCTA, Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma said although the competition would involve participants outside the shores of ECOWAS member States, the sole purpose is to foster unity among members of the sub African region.
“This event is going to involve international athletes; athletes from ECOWAS countries and four athletes from East Africa.
“We also have a theme; ECOWAS is for integration and Abuja is for unity, so we came up with a theme, Run for Unity and Integration and it is important we make people realise this,” she said. (NAN)
MUYI/EMAF/ISMA
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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz
Irregular migration: ECOWAS moves to increase job creation
By Temitope Ponle
Migration
Abuja, April 12, 2019 (NAN) ECOWAS is developing modalities to increase job creation to address illegal migration in the region, officials have said.
This formed part of discussions at the opening session of the ongoing Delocalised Meeting of a Joint Committee holding in Conakry, Guinea.
The committees include Communications and Information Technology, Education, Science and Technology, Labour, Employment, as well as Youth, Sports and Culture.
A number of irregular migrants from Africa to Europe via different migratory routes had been recorded since the peak of migration in 2014, with more deaths in the Mediterranean Sea also recorded.
Risk Analysis for 2018 concluded that the sea, especially along the Mediterranean routes, will remain the most active path for illegal crossing of the EU external borders, but also one of the most dangerous for migrants.
This is according to Relief Web, a leading humanitarian information source on global crises and disasters and a specialised digital service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Also, according to statistics from Missing Migrants Project of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), 98 deaths of migrants in Africa have been recorded since the beginning of 2019.
This is compared to 107 deaths recorded in 2018 under the period in review.
The meeting attributed one of the major causes of irregular migration of its citizens to the high rate of unemployment in the region.
The Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament, Mr Moustapha Cisse Lo, charged the members of committees to ensure that they come up with recommendations aimed at job creation.
Lo said this would be done through promoting the development of small and medium enterprises.
The speaker also said the meeting would renew the parliament’s commitment to develop strategies for economic integration.
He added that the consideration and the adoption of the draft report and recommendations of the committees would be done at the plenary session of the ECOWAS parliament meeting to be held in Nigeria in May.
Mrs Liliane Alapini, a representative of the ECOWAS Commission, said that the issues of unemployment were at the heart of the region’s integration pursuit.
Alapini said the non-implementation of policies on job creation and unemployment was also responsible for the rate of illegal migration in West Africa.
She urged the committees present to strengthen policies on small and medium enterprises in the region.
Mr Tibou Camara, the Guinean Minister of Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises, said that unemployment was “a time bomb” that must be tackled to ensure economic growth and development in the region.
Mr Ansoumane Berete, the Country Representative of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), said that industrialisation was paramount to the eradication of poverty in the ECOWAS region.
Berete assured of UNIDO’s continued support to the skills development of young entrepreneurs through proper training.
Another representative the parliament, Mr Alpha Fischer, said the meeting would also develop modalities to facilitate vocational training of youths in the region.
“This meeting will advocate and promote skills acquisition of youths to enable them stay in their countries rather than venture into illegal migration.
“This meeting will deal with job creation and training of our youth so that they can overcome the temptation of being trapped in the Mediterranean Sea,” he said.
Fischer also said that the meeting would equip the members of parliament to play a major role in job creation and also commended UNIDO for its contribution to development in the region.
The theme for the delocalised meeting is “Job Creation in the ECOWAS region through Entrepreneurship and the Development of SMEs”. (NAN)
TOP/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Sirleaf leads ECOWAS election observers in FCT
By Ahmed Ubandoma/Jessica Dogo
Observation
Abuja, Feb. 23, 2019 (NAN) The Head of ECOWAS Election Observer Mission to Nigeria, Madam Ellen Jonhson Sirleaf, is leading a delegation of ECOWAS election monitors to some polling centres in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sirleaf led her team to the Durumi II Primary School polling centre with eight voting points to monitor the conduct of Saturday’s Presidential and national Assembly elections in the country.
Sirleaf, who arrived the polling centre at about 8.55 a.m waited patiently until the first female voter, Mrs Comfort Akale, cast the first ballot of the polling unit at about 9.50 a.m.
The head of the ECOWAS election observer mission depart the polling unit at 10.05 a.m without a word to newsmen.
NAN also reports that the polling centre was crowded due to the large turnout of eligible voters.
However, some voters have expressed their disappointment over the delay in the commencement of the exercise.
They attributed the delay on the inability of INEC officials to arrive the venue on time.
Mr Daniel Chukwu, expressed his dismay over the late commencement of voting.
“ I came here since 7.30 a.m and this is 10.40 a.m we have not made any progress,” he said.
Mrs Ailemen Edith, a voter, told NAN that she was unable to cast her vote as at 10.35 a.m due to the problem she had in transferring her voter’s card from Wuse II to Durumi II polling unit.
“I transferred my voter registration point from Wuse II to Durumi II in 2018, only to find out that my name is not captured in Durumi voters register.
“Though, I am not the only one that is affected but the INEC officials told us to stay aside, that they will attend to us later,” she said.
NAN also reports that the card reader machines are working perfectly at the Durumi polling unit as at 9.50 a.m.
However, only NYSC corps members were at the Apo Legislative Quarters polling unit as no INEC official was on ground to monitor the arrangement of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials when NAN crew visited the venue as at about 7.30 a.m.
Eligible voters have already queued up waiting for the commencement of the accreditation and voting process at 8 a.m.
Meanwhile, various party agents have taken stock of the materials and the ballot boxes, while accreditation and voting was yet to commence at 8.30 a.m at the Apo Legislative Quarters. (NAN)
MU/JEZ/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Elections: ECOWAS applauds Nigerians’ calm, patience
By Temitope Ponle
Observation
Abuja, Feb. 22, 2019 (NAN) The ECOWAS Election Observer Mission has commended Nigerians for their patience and calm, following the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Feb. 16.
The head of the mission, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirfleaf, at a news briefing in Abuja on Friday, said the international community had watched the progress INEC had made to address the challenges faced.
Johnson-Sirleaf said the progress made by the commission signalled a “deepening and building of confidence in the electoral processes’’.
“We extend thanks, admiration and gratitude to the Nigerian people for their patience in the face of the last minute interruptions to their lives with the postponement of the 2019 general elections.
“We have watched the progress of INEC over the past week working together with domestic and international partners in addressing their logistical and technical challenges.
“We are pleased that these operational constraints have been significantly addressed, this resting a conducive atmosphere for tomorrow’s general elections.
“We commend our brothers and sisters across the length and breadth of this great country for remaining calm and resilient as these concerns were addressed.”
She also commended political leaders for signing the 2019 Peace Accord and described it as a further demonstration of the commitment of Nigeria to democracy.
She expressed confidence that the same level of maturity would be demonstrated during the remaining phase of the electoral process.
“We applaud Nigeria for the pivotal role played in maintaining peace and the restoration of democracy in our sub-region.”
The head of mission also urged political leaders and Nigerians to continue to maintain peace and adhere to the rule of law during the rest of the electoral process.
Furthermore, she commended the security forces in maintaining the peace and protection of the electorate, local and international observers. (NAN)
TOP/JEO/MST
Edited by Janefrances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola
From L-R, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, D-G NAFDAC; Dr Stanley Okolo, D-G WAHO; Ms Aissatou Diack, Senior Health Specialist, World Bank, at the 5th Steering Committee Meeting of the West African Medicines Regulatory and Harmonisation Project (WA- MRH) in Lagos on Saturday (NAN)
Integration
By Vivian Ihechu
Lagos, Feb. 2, 2019 (NAN) The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) and ECOWAS member states on Saturday reinforced their commitment to promoting health through improved integration as well as harmonised medicine registration.
Prof. Stanley Okolo, Director-General, WAHO, restated the commitment at the 5th Steering Committee Meeting of the West African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization Initiative in Lagos.
The meeting held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.
According to him, the main purpose of the meeting is to appraise the Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (MRH) related activities in the region during the year 2018 and to recommend key actions and activities to be implemented in 2019 with the sole aim of strengthening the performance of the project.
He said: “Integration of national efforts to accelerate the well-being of the people is of great importance to the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.
“It is for this reason that WAHO has been mandated to promote better health through regional integration.
“The quality of health of over 350 million people in the region is paramount and it is a great honour for me to lead this steering committee to strategise and take decisions to ensure access to quality, safe, efficient and affordable medical products for the people.
“I therefore, wish to use this opportunity to re-emphasise here that the region’s highest goal is to have medicines whose quality is not disputed and they are accessible to all, regardless of where the people live.
“We must all support the ongoing process to achieve our goal; as such, the diversity of capacities and efficiency of the National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs) are needed to manage the multifaceted approaches to pave the way for success.
“I, together with staff at WAHO affirm our commitment and I believe that all present are equally committed to this vision.”
Okolo said that through the journey of the harmonisation, regulation and integration integration processes, “We may face challenges taking into consideration the limited human and financial resources.”
“These challenges could happen when building of consensus due to our diversities and the level of communication.
“The length of time it takes to get medicines registered, the responsibility to strengthen the local production of medicines and the need to increase the quantum of medicines in the region.
“The fight against the high incidence of substandard and falsified medicines circulating in the region, and the improvement of the capacity building of medicines quality control laboratories are also factors to consider.
“However, this should not deter us from achieving our common goal.
“And that is why we have agreed to jointly register and regulate medicines produced locally and imported into the region with the aim of reducing the time of registration and improving access to medicines as well as ensure better regulatory oversight.”
He commended WAHO’s sister institution, the West African Monetary and Economic Union (UEMOA) for being very instrumental in bringing the harmonised processes of medicines regulation so far into reality and we are very much grateful for the support.
He also expressed his profound gratitude to the Federal Minister of Health of Nigeria for accepting to host the gathering.
According to the WAHO director-general, this strongly indicates the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to public health issues and the interventions of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) in particular.
The WAHO director-genral also acknowledged the World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, UEMOA, African Union Development Agency-NEPAD and Swissmedic.
Other are the European Medicines Agency, United States Pharmacopeia, DFID and UNIDO, for their outstanding contributions and efforts to the establishment and success of the Initiative in the West Africa Region.
He appealed to the meeting to ensure that in all deliberations, the patient should be “first” and all ECOWAS countries to work together to move the medicines regulatory harmonisation initiative to obtain tangible results for positive change in the population and better public health outcomes.
Also, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC, said that porosity of the borders aid substandard and fake drugs to find their way into the Nigerian market, hence the need to strengthen collaboration and vigilance.
According to her, NAFDAC is actively working to check the menace.
“NAFDAC is set up in such a way that we have representatives in all the 36 states of he country and FCT.
“Our people are spread around the country to ensure that there is a lot of pharmacovigilance and post marketing surveillance that continuously takes place.
“We seize products once we know they are substandard, falsified or unregistered, as there are many products that are unregistered in Nigeria.
“And it is because of the porosity of the borders.
“But more importantly, our Ports Inspection Directorate, our people are stationed in different borders and also partner with customs to ensure that we don’t allow substandard, falsified medicines to come into our country,” Adeyeye said. (NAN)
VIV/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)
Front row from left: President Roch Kaboré of Burkina Faso; President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana; President Alpha Condé of Guinea; President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo; Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria; President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claud Kassi Brou; President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire; President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic; President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone; and Former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, at the 54th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, in Abuja on Saturday (22/12/18). 06878/22/12/2018/Anthony Alabi/BJO/NAN
Elections
By Temitope Ponle
Abuja, Dec. 23, 2018 (NAN) The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have charged Nigeria and Senegal to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the conduct of elections are peaceful, free and transparent.
The leaders, who gave the charge in a final communiqué issued at the just concluded 54th Ordinary Session in Abuja on Sunday, directed the ECOWAS commission to provide the necessary support to the two countries.
“The Authority notes with satisfaction, the status of preparation for the general elections in Nigeria on Feb. 16, 2019 and presidential election in Senegal on Feb. 24, 2019 and urges the government and relevant electoral bodies to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the elections are peaceful, free and transparent.”
They also lauded the smooth conduct of the presidential elections in Mali and congratulated President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on his re-election.
They instructed the commission to take measures to support the democratic process and implement the Agreement and the roadmap of March 22.
On the political situation in Togo, the leaders commended the endeavors of President Nana Akuffo-Addo of Ghana, President Alpha Conde of Republic of Guinea and ECOWAS facilitators in the resolution of the crisis.
They noted the readiness of the Togolese Government to organise local elections in 2019 and encouraged the active involvement of all stakeholders for a peaceful process.
The Heads of State encouraged the Togolese Government to intensify the peace and confidence-building measures between all political stakeholders to further ease the socio-political situation.
They also urged security forces to demonstrate professionalism in their mission of maintaining order and ensuring the security of people.
On The Gambia, the Authority lauded the positive developments in the political and security situation and further took note of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission.
They also called on the country to swiftly implement the security sector reform programme.
On Guinea Bissau, the Heads of State expressed concern on the continued delay in the conduct of parliamentary elections, taking note of the challenges involved.
They further encouraged stakeholders to work towards the conduct of the forthcoming parliamentary elections on March 10, 2019 and also urged the commission to intensify technical support for smooth electoral process.
“The Authority mandates the Chairman to impose sanctions on the basis of proposals for the President of the commission, against stakeholders who obstruct the smooth conduct of the electoral process,” they directed.
The leaders also reaffirmed the importance of peace, security and stability in ECOWAS for the economic development of the region.
They also reiterated their condemnation of terrorist attacks and expressed solidarity with the affected countries.
They lauded the cooperation among certain member states intending to effectively combat the scourge of terrorism and instructed the commission to support and extend cooperation to the states.
The Heads of State also urged member states to expediate the simplification of information and intelligence sharing mechanisms and the harmonisation of their legal systems to respond to terrorist attacks.
The 54th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government had in attendance nine presidents while five were represented.
They are presidents Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Roch Kabore of Burkina Faso, Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Alpha Conde of Guinea, José Mário Vaz of Guinea Bissau, Issoufou Mahamadou of Niger, Julius Madaa Bio of Sierra Leone and Faure Gnassingbe of Togo.
Senegal was represented by its Prime Minister, Mahammed Dionne, while The Gambia, Mali and Liberia were represented by their foreign ministers.
Benin was represented by its ambassador to Nigeria while Cape Verde was not present at the meeting. (NAN)
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ICRC to unveil ECOWAS International Humanitarian Law action plan
By Talatu Maiwada
ICRC
Abuja, Nov. 1, 2018 (NAN) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it has concluded plans to unveil the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), International Humanitarian Law action plan from 2019 to 2023.
Mrs Esther Akpa, Communication Officer, Environmental Scanning and Media Relations, ICRC, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the event would hold on Nov. 2 at the ECOWAS Parliament.
She said the ICRC has been working with member states of the ECOWAS for the past 17 years to ensure that the respect for International Human Rights Law forms part of their national legislature.
Akpa stated that the action plan to be unveiled would guide the activities of the ECOWAS towards the respect for and implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) treaties for all 15 member states.
“The meeting would include experts’ release and validation of 2019 to 2023 ECOWAS IHL Plan of Action which will guide its activities towards respect for and implementation of IHL treaties for all 15 member states.
“There will be an annual review meeting which will examine the progress of member states in implementing IHL treaties and also technical support for the domestication of such treaties at the national level,’’ she said.
She added that remarks would be delivered by the ICRC head of delegation, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority heads of state and government, among others. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Abuja, Oct. 25, 2018 (NAN) The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission have called on ECOWAS member states to implement the Banjul Plan of Action to end statelessness.
Representatives of the UNHCR and ECOWAS commission made this known on Thursday in Abuja at a roundtable with government representatives and stakeholders to raise awareness on statelessness and call for implementation of relevant instruments.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Brigitte Mukanga-Eno, UNHCR’s Deputy Representative to Nigeria, said that the implementation of relevant instruments and Plan of Action was crucial to finding sustainable solutions to statelessness.
Statelessness is a situation where someone is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law.
It refers to the absence of a legal bond between a person and a state, which confers upon the national certain rights (like the right to live in the country or participate in elections, among other things).
Cue in audio (Mukanga-Eno)
“Implementation is where we could take the necessary actions to recognize the problems within the continent, to identify the numbers of stateless persons that we have in our various countries and to provide solutions.
“Like for the case of Nigeria, Nigeria has ratified the two instruments relating to statelessness but it is not yet implemented.
“The first call we are making to ECOWAS member states is for those who are yet to ratify to do so and for those who have ratified to implement these instruments because, it gives solution to put in place measures for the registration or enrollment of stateless persons and then they can be documented and enjoy their rights.
“In Nigeria we still have the people of the Bakassi Peninsula that was ceded to Cameroon in 2002.
“The territory was given to Cameroon, but people claim to be Nigerians and many of them were relocated within other states in Nigeria from Cross Rivers to Akwa Ibom.
“Unfortunately, they are still living in IDPs-like situation, they have not been integrated, documented.
“Some of them who decided to remain in Cameroon, Cameroon is harassing them, not providing their documentations and they do not want to naturalise either so they are really in between the two states.
“There is need to look at some of these issues, document these people and give them their right as citizens.’’
Cue out audio
Mukanga-Eno said that with the right structures in place as contained in the Banjul Plan of Action Nigeria and other countries would be able to know the actual numbers of stateless persons within it’s territories.
She added that the growing rate of insecurity in some member states also calls for the need to have a documentation of country’s nationals those that are stateless, IDPs and Refugees.
The Deputy Country Representative also called on member states to emulate the Cote d’Ivore which has successfully registered 700,000 stateless persons in the country.
Also speaking, Mrs Florence Iheme, the Director, Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, said that ECOWAS remained committed to ending statelessness alongside governments of member states and UNHCR.
Iheme, who underscore the implications of statelessness if left ignored urged governments of member states and stakeholders to do all in its powers to ensure that the ten- year fight, 2014-2024 is being achieved.
“When the position was brought to ECOWAs in 2014, we embraced it immediately because some of the regional instruments we have is against statelessness.
“We have been working with the UNHCR since the 10-year fight, 2014 to 2024 was launched in November 2014.
“If you are stateless, you exist, but you have no human rights and that has implication on social issues, such as access to school, health care, and many other things.
“Member states have been working to ensure that implementation is ongoing.
“In Nigeria, we have ratified the two international instruments but to make any meaningful change.
“Apart from the legal provisions, you need to put structures in place to make sure that some of the programmes work,’’ Iheme said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abidjan Declaration is a historical instrument and a milestone in the fight against statelessness in West Africa.
The Declaration was adopted during the first Ministerial Conference on Statelessness in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, jointly organized by ECOWAS and
UNHCR in February 2015.
The Abidjan Declaration recognizes that statelessness is a significant issue in the region and sets out 25 specific measures, primarily addressed to ECOWAS member states, on how to put an end to statelessness by 2024.
The conference also resulted in the adoption of 62 recommendations on how to implement the commitments made.
The Abidjan Declaration was endorsed by all Heads of States in May 2015 in Accra, Ghana, during the ECOWAS Summit.
The ECOWAS Plan of Action on Eradication of Statelessness 2017-2024 is based on the commitments and recommendations
made in the Abidjan Declaration, the Conclusions and Recommendations and in the Communiqué, and therefore strictly follows the spirit of Abidjan.
The Plan of Action entails support measures that ECOWAS and UNHCR can provide to member states in accordance with Articles 22 and 25 of the Abidjan Declaration.
It includes measures that ECOWAS will adopt to follow-up on the requests made by Member States in the Abidjan Declaration and it spells out mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of the Abidjan Declaration. (NAN)
NAN-F-6
Summit
By Temitope Ponle
Abuja, Dec. 16, 2017 (NAN) The 52nd ECOWAS Heads of State and Government summit opened in Abuja on Saturday as leaders discuss Morocco’s membership of the bloc and the security situation in Guinea Bissau.
Morocco had made its request to be a member of ECOWAS while Tunisia requested to be an observer country.
The 51st Ordinary Session held in Monrovia, Liberia in June agreed in principle to Morocco’s membership of the sub-regional bloc and directed the commission to consider the implications of the country’s membership.
The commission confirmed that study on the impact of Morocco’s membership was carried out and the outcome would be submitted to the Authority.
Morocco was, however not invited for the 52nd summit.
Its Foreign Ministry reportedly said that the country had to wait until the first quarter of 2018 to know the decision of the ECOWAS Heads of State which would be announced at an extraordinary session.
Tunisia has, however, been granted an observer status by the authority and the commission has been further directed to take necessary measures to ensure all procedures relating to an observer status are implemented.
The commission also confirmed that the authority called on Mauritania to submit its request for readmission to ECOWAS.
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and Tunisian President Beji Essebsi are scheduled to make presentations as special guests at the opening session of the summit.
The summit would also discuss the political and security situation in Guinea Bissau.
The ECOWAS recently said its mission in Guinea Bissau had taken an “excruciating toll” on the financial resources of the sub-region.
The ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB) made up of troops from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Togo and Niger was deployed in May 2012 following a military coup in April 2012.
ECOMIB helped to establish a civilian-led transitional government, which ended with the election of President José Mario Vaz in a run-off in May 2014 for a five-year term.
The international community has called on authorities of Guinea Bissau to implement the Conakry Agreement of Oct. 2016.
The agreement is the primary framework for a peaceful resolution of the political crisis in the country.
The Heads of State went in for a closed-door session before making any statements, which is away from its usual tradition.
The West African leaders, during the closed session, would review the reports of the 79th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers and the 39th Ordinary Meeting of the Mediation and Security Council.
President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria is scheduled to present a welcome address at the opening of the summit followed by statements of President of the commission, Marcel de Souza.
Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat would present statements.
The opening address would be made by the Chairman of the Authority, President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo.
NAN reports that all 15-member states of the ECOWAS are represented at the summit. (NAN)
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Edited by Omolade Morayo/Ismail Abdulaziz
Abuja, March 3, 2017 (NAN) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has urged ECOWAS to adopt a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach to address humanitarian needs in member states.
Ms Eloi Fillion, Head of Delegation of the ICRC said this at the ECOWAS-ICRC briefing for ambassadors from member states and donor countries on the Implementation of Humanitarian Laws (IHL) in West Africa on Friday.
Fillion said that humanitarian needs resulting from armed conflicts and other violent crises in the sub-region required significant efforts from all relevant stakeholders.
The ICRC head of delegation, however commended the efforts made by the sub-regional bloc in signing and ratifying various international humanitarian laws adding that additional steps were needed to ensure respect for IHL.
Cue in audio
“The International Humanitarian Law is a body of law, of international treaties and when we are looking at implementation, we have to look at the implementation of an integration of respective treaties.
“In the ECOWAS region there has been some significant efforts made and most of the countries have indeed ratified or at least signed the main conventions.
“If you look for example at the Convention of Cluster Munitions 11 countries have signed today; the ECOWAS Convention on Small Weapons 14 countries, the same for the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
These are important achievements but we cannot stop here; there is still work to continue, there are still challenges ahead of us and this is what we are jointly with ECOWAS Commission, putting our efforts towards.”
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She said that political will from governments in all member states was pertinent to ensure relevant stakeholders were aware of and complied with their obligations.
Director, ECOWAS Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mrs Florence Iheme said that the meeting was aimed at presenting and reviewing the ECOWAS-ICRC joint report on IHL.
Iheme said the report, published in Dec. 2016 was to measure the status of ratification, domestication and implementation of IHL treaties by member states.
“This is an opportunity to present it to ECOWAS member states as well as international partners that support both ICRC and ECOWAS in issues of IHL.
A programme officer in the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mr Olatunde Olayemi further said that the ECOWAS in 2009 developed a plan of action for member states to accede to, domesticate and implement IHL.
“We have been doing this with the ICRC for 14 years to ensure that there is implementation of IHL in the various member states.
“What we have done in the last six, seven years has been to measure member states progressive compliance with these laws and the compliance is done in ratification, domestication, accession to domestication where required depending on the legal system of the various countries.”
Olayemi also said that the ability of member states such laws in core sectors of their countries such as security, education, among others was also measured.
He added that countries were also encouraged to have national IHL commissions which serve as the national task forces responsible for monitoring and reporting back. (NAN)
