ECOPARL NEWSLETTER (VOL.9 N °2 PUBLICATION OF THE FIRST ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ECOWAS PARLIAMENT)

VOL.09 N °02 PUBLICATION OF THE FIRST ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ECOWAS PARLIAMENT. MAY 8TH - JUNE 3RD 2019

INSIDE.....

ECOWAS States to Benefit from $8m Forest Protection Project Page 2 Benin and Togo commit to tackling youth unemployment Page 3 Burkinabe Government Unveils Security Strategy Page 4 ECOWAS Launches Conflict Prevention Framework, Seeks $100m Page 5 Drugs, Maritime security: EU spends £155m to support ECOWAS Page 6 UNHCR, ECOWAS Call for Urgent Intervention In WA’s Migration Crisis Page 8

Drug Trafficking: Nigeria Urges ECOWAS to Tackle Emerging Threats

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n line with the Political Declaration on the Prevention of Drug Abuse, Illicit Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime in West Africa, signed by the Heads of State in 2008, the Federal Government of Nigeria has urged the ECOWAS Commission to immediately implement an appropriate structure to check emerging illicit drug threats in the region.

Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation made the call at the 12th Inter-Ministerial Drug Coordinating Committee of ECOWAS at Abuja, Nigeria.

Minister Malami recalled that the Heads of State similarly adopted and endorsed the Political Declaration and Regional Action Plan to Combat Illicit Drug Trafficking, Organized Crimes and Drug Abuse in West Africa.

“At our individual state levels, the draft status report on the implementation on the ECOWAS Drug Action Plan clearly indicates that substantial achievements have been made both at the regional and national levels”, he educed.

“The recommendation made in the Political Declaration to establish an appropriate structure

ECOWAS Commission Urges Member States to Sign Trade Agreement Page 9 Senegal Makes Constitutional Amendment, Scraps Prime Minister Position Page 10 ECOWAS Offers 780 Scholarships to Indigent Students Page 11

under the direct supervision of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, is yet to be fully implemented.

This should be noted for immediate implementation to check the emerging drug threats in the region”, he enjoined.

The Minister said that drug trafficking fueled other organized crimes such as money laundering, terrorist financing, violence among others, which demanded the concerted efforts at all levels.

He stated that the Federal Government of Nigeria had put measures in place to deal with the drug situation in the country, adding that “The human resource capacity of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been strengthened to be able to address drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and related crimes.”

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said the meeting was an opportunity to take stock of achievements made, challenges being faced and additional efforts required to address the menace in the region.

“I have no doubt that the outcome of this meeting will serve as an impetus towards redoubling our efforts at the national, regional and international levels”, President Brou stated.

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Source: Flickr.com

Tiina Vahanen

Chief of Forestry Policy (FAO)

ECOWAS States to Benefit from $8m Forest Protection Project

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he Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has announced an eight-million USD five-year forest protection project for the 15 ECOWAS Member States.

The global body announced that three agencies, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), FAO and ECOWAS had joined forces to protect West Africa’s forests in order to help safeguard the livelihoods of millions of people, depending on the resources culled out of those forests.

The FAO revealed that the three institutions would carry out the project, aimed at strengthening sustainable forest and land management as well as address trans-boundary forest threats, to maximize the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities.

Tiina Vahanen, FAO’s Chief of Forestry Policy and Resources Division, said the project would be key to the rolling out of the ECOWAS-led Convergence Plan for the Sustainable Management and Use of Forest Ecosystems in West Africa.

He described the project as a concrete step towards improving the forest management in the region

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that would build on the momentum created in recent years to safeguard West Africa’s forests.

Mr. Ulla Andrén, SIDA’s Head of Regional Development Cooperation in sub-Saharan Africa, said the project to be implemented by ECOWAS would be financed by SIDA with over eight million USD while the FAO would provide technical support to the project.

According to him, the project is not only important for the people and governments of the region but also crucial for the global effort to stop climate change and loss of bio-diversity.

Andrén expressed the pleasure of his organisation to be partners with ECOWAS and FAO on transboundary forest management in West Africa.

Johnson Boanuh, ECOWAS Commission’s Environment Director, noted that West Africa’s forests and wetlands were an important source of livelihood for millions of people, detailing that about 72 million hectares were under threat.

According to him, the forests and wetlands are also home to a wide range of vulnerable endemic animal species and more than 200 plant species.

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Hon. Djobo-Ouro Bang’na presenting Togo country report

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Hon. Youssoufou Abdouramani presenting Benin Republic Country Report

Benin and Togo commit to tackling youth unemployment

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pparently worried by high level of unemployment and underemployment of young people, the Governments of Togo and Benin have affirmed as priority, both governments’ focus on strengthening the youth.

In separate Reports presented to the Plenary, both Member States revealed their strategies towards eradicating unemployment.

The delegation of Benin stated that despite all efforts by the previous government of President Boni Yayi to create employment for the young people, the current “government of new beginning” is still grappling with several challenges.

The challenges as noted in the Report include “reviving economic growth, which necessarily means increasing the country’s production and processing capacities, creating merit-based job opportunities, providing training that is

adapted or adaptable to the country’s economy, need to stimulate enterprise creation and become more globally viable for its sustainable development.

“Another key element is the need for enabling conditions for young people to access loans for creating jobs, particularly as poor access to credit from formal sectors like banks and microfinance institutions constitute the main problem facing youths who want to start their own businesses.

In same vein, the fight against unemployment and underemployment of young people have become the declared priorities of the Togolese government in accordance with the guidelines contained in the National Development Plan (PND) of the Republic.

In order to achieve this therefore, the Togolese government started several initiatives which include; The National Strategic Plan for Youth Employment, Support

Fund for Youth Economic Initiatives, Youth Employment Program, among others.

The Country Report of Togo which was presented by Hon. Nassara Djobo-Ouro Bang’na, on behalf of the delegation stated that the “The President of Togo has decided to increase the quota for awarding up to 25% of public contracts to young people and women entrepreneurs as a way of enhancing youth empowerment and employment in the country.

The Report further disclosed that the Togolese government occasionally organized direct recruitment competitions into the civil service in various sectors to support the initiatives of the Togolese private sector in terms of job creation and the fight against unemployment.

“The President of the Republic, in his address to the nation on 26th April 2019, has decided to raise the civil service salary index from January 2020”, the Report concluded.

Burkinabe Government Unveils Security Strategy

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ollowing the growing security challenges confronting Burkina Faso, the government has mapped out a strategy that seeks to address insecurity and restore normalcy in the country.

According to the Burkina Faso Country Report presented by the delegation to the Plenary, Burkina Faso has since 2015, witnessed series of acts of extreme violence, a situation that has undermined the peace and security of persons and properties in the country.

Some of this despicable act includes “deadly attacks and the destruction of public buildings, abductions and kidnappings sometimes followed by summary executions, assassination of government representatives, attacks on national armed forces units, defense, security and paramilitary forces” the Report stated.

Hon. Sama Joseph presented the Report to Plenary on behalf of his delegation and it also stated that the worsening security situation in the country has adverse effect on the unity of Burkina Faso, as it is gradually eroding some of the fundamental and legendary values of the nation.

“As part of efforts to pool forces to fight against terrorism, Burkina Faso hosted edition of Operation Flintlock, which is a multinational

military exercise in which more than 2000 soldiers from more than 30 partners African and Western countries took part, in spite of which major security challenges still lie ahead”, the Report declared.

In addition, it stated that in further handling the menace therefore, the Government has plan to “Expeditiously implement the five-year Military Programming Act (2019-2023), to beef-up the logistic and material means of our national armed and internal security forces; Improve the networking of operational security services country-wide by strengthening the staff of national armed forces and security forces and ensuring their gradual, systematic and resolute redeployment on the ground”.

Moreover, the Report also stated that government also plan to “Strengthen sub-regional military cooperation by prioritizing the need for synergy of actions, especially among G5 Sahel countries; Improve collaboration between defense and security forces and the population by putting in place a suitable strategy to that effect”.

Addressing the worrisome concerns raised by Members of Parliament, some of who sought to know the key agitation behind the terrorism acts, the delegation stated that “there is no known knowledge of their demands, but they only hope to resolve it soonest”.

Hon. Joseph Sama, Presenting Burkina Faso Country Report

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ECOWAS Launches Conflict Prevention Framework, Seeks $100m

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COWAS Commission has launched a 15-Component framework for Conflict Prevention tagged ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF), and requires $100 million for its implementation.

The Commission stated that the framework was aimed at promoting regional peace, security and economic development.

The ECPF which was officially launched at Abuja, Nigeria, c aptu re d human rights, rule of law, media, cross border initiatives, natural resource governance, youth empowerment, women, peace and security, ECOWAS standby force, humanitarian assistance, among others.

The document presentation on ECPF Action Plans

by Mr. Constant Gnacadja, Programme Officer, Conflict Prevention Division of the ECOWAS Commission stated that the action plans were developed in 2012 for the period of 2013 to 2017.

“There was limited implementation of the first Action Plan due to political instability, limited funding, lack of internal support and the Ebola epidemic”, Gnacadia stated.

In his presentation, he said that the action plans were developed through a consultative exercise

involving the validation of representatives of ECOWAS directorates, Member States and the Civil Society.

He also explained that each action plan comprised a general description of ECPF component and a log frame outlining the main objectives, expected results, outputs, activities and an estimated budget.

Gen. Francis Behanzin, the E C O WA S Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security added that ECPF was adopted to facilitate the implementation of the Protocol on the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security of Dec. 1999.

Behanzin said the ECPF would serve as a guiding reference for Member States in their efforts to strengthening human security in the region.

“This idea of a peaceful, progressive and prosperous region has been the main motivation of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council when the ECPF was adopted, in 2008. The Council realized that to achieve this idea, conflict prevention should not only become a core responsibility of the Commission but also Member States and governments directly affected by conflicts”, he said.

Source: unsplash.com

Drugs, Maritime security: EU spends £155m to support ECOWAS

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he European Union (EU) has said that its regional programs in the Gulf of Guinea, worth more than 155 million Euros, are supporting the implementation of important ECOWAS strategies in maritime, fisheries and illegal drug trafficking.

Mr. Kurt Cornelis, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS said this at the opening of a twoday maritime stakeholders’ 6

information and coordination meeting on maritime security tagged ‘Improved Regional Fisheries Governance in Western Africa (PESCAO) and Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security (SWAIMS), at Abuja, Nigeria, on May 6, 2019.

Cornelis, however, said that increased security efforts did not deter piracy, armed robbery at sea, illegal fishing, smuggling and trafficking as these still posed major threats to maritime security.

The head of cooperation of the EU said that such threats made the region the most dangerous in the world for piracy and armed robbery at sea in 2018, hence the intervention of the EU. Furthermore, the EU Diplomat stated that it was germane for countries in West Africa to enhance cooperation with Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in order to tackle the challenges.

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Did You Know?

West Africa has had its share in the ongoing wave of insecurity that is plaguing many parts of the World. However, some West African leaders have been awarded with the Nobel Prize for Peace, for doing ‘the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of

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Kofi Atta Annan (Ghana 2001)

Seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations.

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peace congresses’. Since the inception of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1901, there have been 3 Nobel Laureates from West Africa selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The Nobel peace prize is one of the five annual international awards bestowed in a number of categories in recognition of academic, cultural and or scientific advances.

The Nobel Laureates include:

n 2001, the late Kofi Annan, the then UN Secretary General was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the United Nations for their work for a better organised and more peaceful world. Kofi Annan was born in Ghana in 1938. He served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006. He received the Peace Prize for having revitalised the UN and for having given priority to human rights. The Nobel Committee also recognised his commitment to the struggle to contain the spreading of the HIV virus in Africa and his declared opposition to international terrorism.

L Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia, 2011) Former President of Liberia

Lymah GboweeLiberia, 2011 Women’s Right Champion

iberia’s President was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 alongside peace activist Lymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work. Sirleaf was elected as Liberia’s president in 2005 just two years after the bloody civil wars that ravaged the country for more than a decade had just ended. As the first female head of state ever to be democratically elected in Africa, she has worked to promote peace, reconciliation and social and economic development.

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ymah Gbowee is a women’s rights champion and she received the Nobel Prize jointly with her president alongside Tawakkol Karman from Yemen. During the civil war that ravaged Liberia, Gbowee called together women from different ethnic and religious groups in the fight for peace. Dressed in white T-shirts they held daily demonstrations at the fish market in Monrovia. After having collected money she led a delegation of Liberian women to Ghana to put pressure on the warring factions during the peace-talk process. This played a decisive role in ending the war. Gbowee also worked to help those who suffered psychological trauma during the civil war in Liberia, including child soldiers.

UNHCR, ECOWAS Call for Urgent Intervention In WA’s Migration Crisis

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he UN High Commissioner for Refugees and ECOWAS has declared an urgent need to tackle migration crisis affecting the subregion and the protection of persons of concern.

Both organizations made the call during the opening of the 4th ECOWAS Ambassadors’ retreat at Uyo, Nigeria.

The retreat with the theme: “Mixed Population flows and durable solutions in the ECOWAS Region” brought together stakeholders and ECOWAS Ambassadors representing Member States.

Mrs. Liz Ahua, UNHCR’s Regional Representative, said that displaced persons in the West African sub-region present a new challenge that could only be resolved by a joint action of all.

She said that West African countries host a growing number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), with Nigeria hosting the largest population of IDPs in the sub-region and Burkina Faso becoming a new theatre of displacement.

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Ahua stated that finding solutions for persons forcibly displaced including refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and stateless persons remains the priority of the UNHCR. She further disclosed that UNHCR has established an Emergency Evacuation Mechanism through which a sizable number of refugees are transported from Libya to Niger to be resettled.

“I envisage these discussions will contribute in great measure to better alignment of national legal frameworks and both regional and global standards”, Ahua concluded.

In a keynote address, Jean Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission, stated that the theme of the 2019 retreat was apt given the challenges facing the subregion with the movement of its citizens to Europe.

President Brou, who was represented by Mrs. Siga Jagne, ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, cautioned that these perilous journeys embarked upon by ECOWAS citizens have mostly resulted in the loss of lives and their enslavement.

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ECOWAS Commission Urges Member States to Sign Trade Agreement

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r. Gbenga Obideyi, Director of Trade, at the ECOWAS Commission has advised Member States to sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to ensure the preservation of the ECOWAS Acquis.

Acquis is a borrowed nomenclature from the European Union legal terms defined as accumulated legislation, legal acts, and court decisions, which constitute the total body of

European Union law.

Obideyi made the call at Abuja, Nigeria, during a national validation workshop on the study conducted by the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) on Articulating Nigeria’s Agricultural Trade Strategies for the AfCFTA Negotiation.

“For the ECOWAS region, 13 out of the 15 Member States have so far signed the AfCFTA Agreement and eight of our Member States have also ratified it. Nigeria and Benin are the only Member States yet to sign the agreement and for very good reasons”, he disclosed.

“We have urged our Member States yet to sign and ratify to do so to ensure the preservation of the ECOWAS obligations and that the AfCFTA is coherent with regional advancements,’’ he declared.

Obideyi added that as of March 28, 52 African States signed the agreement with the remainder of only three African countries.

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Source: businesslive.co.za

President Macky Sall of Senegal

Senegal Makes Constitutional Amendment, Scraps Prime Minister Position

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enegal’s Country Report to the Parliament has revealed that its National Assembly passed a Presidential Bill which sought to amend the Constitution to among other things, scrap the position of Prime Minister.

The Bill which was approved on May 4, was an initiative of President Macky Sall who said it afforded him the opportunity to be closer to the people.

The Senegal delegation to Parliament in their Report, revealed to the Plenary that the Bill also sought to allow for Members of Parliament who were appointed ministers to return to their parliamentary seats after serving out their tenures as ministers.

“The Bill also provides that an MP who holds a cabinet post can return to his parliamentary seat once he completes his tenure as minister. The constitutional amendment Bill seeking a review of the Constitution to scrap the post of Prime

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Minister was approved on Saturday 4 May, 2019, after some nine hours of debate by the National Assembly”, the Report indicated.

It further specified that “One hundred and thirtyeight Members of Parliament voted. Of these, one hundred and twenty-four voted in favour, seven voted against and seven abstained. Based on this outcome, the National Assembly adopted the proposed review of the Constitution”.

The delegation explained in its Report that part of the reason the President sought to scrap the PM office was due to the reduction of the presidential term from seven years to five years.

“The President wants to be in direct contact at every level of application, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of government policy. Following upon this intention, the President, as he is empowered to do by the Constitution, submitted to the National Assembly a constitutional amendment bill seeking to do away with the post of Prime Minister,” the Report stated.

Other provisions of the amendment include the stipulation that the National Assembly also could not request the resignation of the government, the President could not dissolve the National Assembly and; in the same manner, the National Assembly could not instigate the resignation of the government through a vote of no confidence or a motion of censure.

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ECOWAS Offers 780 Scholarships to Indigent Students

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ot less than 780 needy ECOWAS citizens have benefitted from scholarships of the subregional body in the last one year, Nigeria’s President and current Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, H. E. Muhammadu Buhari, has disclosed.

The ECOWAS Chair disclosed this while addressing the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN headquarters, New York, where he shared the interventions, accomplishments and challenges of the 15-Member States Community.

Represented by Hajia Aisha Abubakar, Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, the President stated that with the scholarships, girls were now increasingly subscribing to scientific and technical subjects, such as agricultural research, biotechnology, molecular biology,

mechanics, civil engineering and other technical and vocational courses hitherto dominated by boys.

“This program has also significantly contributed to awareness creation on genderbased violence, female genital mutilation, child marriage and early pregnancy,” he said.

Buhari added that the subregion was in full expansion and resolutely committed to a successful integration of its peoples through the programs of the ECOWAS Commission.

According to him, ECOWAS is actively working to fight against exclusion, inequalities and the generational transmission of poverty in order to accelerate change with a strong social impact.

He also listed the ECOWAS’ interventions and accomplishments to include program of support on the reproductive health of women

and girls.

“Through this program, ECOWAS has successfully treated and reintegrated nearly 1,500 women and girls suffering from obstetric Fistula.

In the area of youth training, the Nigerian President said 169 young people from the subregion were trained in building electrical wiring.

According to his address to the CSW, 577 and 310 young people in Agri-business and pastoral studies and automobile mechanics, refrigeration and air conditioning respectively as part of the youth training.

In addition, he said that an ECOWAS Youth Fund had been established to enhance youth employment through the provision of grants for projects and programs initiated by the young people.

Nigeria Resolute on Intensified Fight Against Boko Haram, Corruption

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resident of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, stated that the activities of the insurgent terrorist group, Boko Haram affecting Nigeria and the Lake Chad basin countries of Chad and Cameroun in Central Africa, had created new humanitarian problems, posing serious security threats within the region. This reality drove the country’s resolve to intensify efforts in the fight to decimate the group.

Addressing the WAPPCO meeting through his Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, the President stated that “Nigeria in the last four years has taken drastic measures and spared no effort in her resolve to fight corruption and her quest to defeat Boko Haram. We have led vigorous military campaigns against the terrorists by re-organising the Multinational Joint Task Force which had dislodged them”.

Furthermore, President Buhari said that “Working with our regional and international allies, we have denied them safe haven within and around the sub-region. We have also strengthened legislation against terrorism and corruption by equipping the anti-graft agencies in the country to be able to carry out their mandates” , he continued.

He explained that the measures adopted have yielded much dividends in reducing financial crimes and acts of terrorism in the country.

On his part, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, represented

by ECOWAS Commissioner in charge of Political

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Boko Haram Insurgents Source: conatusnews.com

Affairs, Peace and Security, Gen. Francis Behanzin, noted that the current security challenges in the sub-region required urgent attention.

Mr. Brou said that results could be achieved in the fight against crimes and criminality if Member States resolved to handle the fight with seriousness.

He also noted that the precarious security situation in the sub-region was due to terrorism, drug trafficking, arms proliferation and smuggling, among other criminalities driven mostly by poverty, corruption and socio-political problems.

He enjoined Member States to collaborate with ECOWAS to have the WAPCCO meeting annually, as against its current irregular calendar.

Also speaking in his capacity as Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau said that the region was faced with numerous regional and international security challenges and charged the security ministers to provide lasting solutions to tackle them by providing leadership and formulating appropriate policies.

He said that all over the world, crime and criminality was assuming new and unimaginable dimensions that no country could effectively fight without the collaboration of the other(s).

All ECOWAS Member States were in attendance at the three-day meeting which was aimed at addressing transnational crimes, especially terrorism, violent extremism, kidnapping, illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons, human trafficking, maritime security, herders and farmers’ conflict among others.

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Buhari tasks ECOWAS security chiefs on crime control strategies

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he Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has charged ECOWAS security chiefs to share their experiences, re-assess and harmonise crime control and operations in their various countries.

Buhari gave the charge at the closing of the 16th Annual General Meeting of West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO) and Meeting of the Forum of Ministers in charge of Security which held recently at Abuja, Nigeria.

The ECOWAS Chair of Authority who was represented by the Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, reeled out insecurity posed by corruption, terrorism, communal clashes, kidnap for ransom, organised crimes among others as being some of the vices threatening the region`s peace, progress, integration and development.

“We are aware of other threats to security such as climate change which brings with it, environmental degradation, extreme poverty and poor governance.

“However, as police chiefs, your focus is on security of lives and property in relation to law and order,“ he reminded them.

President Buhari attributed the vulnerability of the region to criminal activities and other issues threatening peace and security to the vast borders and proximity to the Sahel.

He added that it was imperative for Member States to coordinate their security plans and activities, to

enable law enforcement and other security agencies contain and prevent these vices.

Buhari noted that the fight against crimes and criminality was vast and resource-consuming, transcending national, regional and global levels.

However, he emphasized that WAPCCO is a forum that affords the police and security chiefs the opportunity for cooperation and collaboration to proffer solutions to the security challenges confronting the region.

Additionally, the ECOWAS Chair reasoned that the fight against crime and criminality could only be achieved through the collective will and efforts of memberstates.

Furthermore, he advised the Security Chiefs to reach resolutions in the meeting that would become the standard measure of performances for the participants which would further entrench democratic governance in the sub-region.

“It is pertinent to note that, resolutions in the meeting would become the standard measure of your performances which in turn would help in safeguarding our nascent democracies. The knowledge they garnered here will also enhance your competences and capacities to successfully handle and resolve such incidences when they occur”, he advised.

He observed that the meeting came when a lot of synergy was needed among ECOWAS Member States in the fight against crime and criminality in the West African Sub-region.

Senegal: Abolishment of PM not affecting Democracy

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r Souleymane Ndoye, the Deputy Leader of the delegation of Senegal to the Parliament, has stated that the abolishment of the post of Prime Minister in Senegal would not affect the country’s democracy.

Ndoye made the statement following questions from fellow Members of ECOWAS Parliament during deliberations on the presentation of Senegal’s Country Report at the 1st Ordinary Session of the Parliament at Abuja, Nigeria.

Senegal lawmakers had on May 4, 2019, approved a constitutional reform to cancel the post of prime minister, the first initiative of President Macky Sall’s second term in office.

Senegal’s National Assembly President, Rt. Hon. Moustapha Niasse, had announced that 124 members of Parliament voted in favour of the motion as against seven members who voted

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against I, the Report revealed.

Responding to questions from the MPs, Hon. Ndoye explained that the Prime Minister did not have constitutional powers and thus, the new situation did not affect democratic processes of the country.

“With regards to the constitution reform of 2019, which led to the cancellation of the post of the Prime Minister, I would like to point out that the Prime Minister is not elected. It is the President that is elected and has a clear mandate. We embarked on a referendum in March 2016, where the President undertook to reduce the presidential tenure from seven to five years”, Ndoye noted.

“In order to fast-track the implementation of his policies and programmes, he also went ahead to abolish the post of the Prime Minister. You need to know that the Prime Minister does not have constitutional powers. it is only the President that has such powers, so nothing affects our democracy if this is done,” he further explained.

The Senegalese MP added that the objective of cancelling the Prime Minister’s post was to get the President closer to the people and the ministers in order to provide dividends of democracy to the people.

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JUST SO YOU KNOW: Facts on AfCFTA

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This makes it the 22nd country to meet the The Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is a planned free trade area, outlined threshold for the free trade area to formally exist. in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement The trade agreement is, reportedly, set to become among 49 of the 55 African Union nations. operational a month after the required number of The 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly endorsements are deposited with the AU. Nigeria, of Heads of State and Government of the African Benin and Eritrea are yet to ratify the agreement.

Union, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January The agreement also seeks to create the largest 2012, adopted a decision to establish a Continental trade zone in the world, increase trade among Free Trade Area (CFTA) by 2017.

African countries by 52 per cent and remove tariffs The CFTA would bring together 54 African on 90 per cent of goods. countries with a combined population of more than If the agreement comes into force, its one billion people and a combined gross domestic secretariat will be responsible for coordinating product of more than $3.4 trillion dollars. the implementation of the agreement and shall be The first countries to ratify the agreement were an autonomous body within the AU system and Kenya and Ghana, while The Gambia signed and the Council of Ministers responsible for trade. ratified the agreement on April 2, 2019,making it A decision on the location of the headquarters, structure, role and responsibilities will be made on the most recent country to do so. a later date.

Sierra Leone Declares Emergency on Rape, Human Rights

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he government of Sierra Leone has declared a National Emergency to curb the incidences of rape, child marriages, sexual abuse and other human rights abuses.

According to the Sierra Leone Country Report presented by its delegation to Parliament, the government is committed to guaranteeing the right to life, liberty and security of persons.

The Report indicated that the government of Sierra Leone was committed to the full implementation of the children’s rights as provided for in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) 1990, the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRA) 2007 and other international instruments.

Unfortunately, they observed that Child abuse, exploitation and trafficking were still pervasive and widespread country-wide, stressing that all was being done to curtail it.

“Following the Child Marriage in Africa campaign launched by the African Union, the government also set up a sub-committee to conduct a review of laws

dealing with child marriage,” the Report stated.

Meanwhile, the Report added that Freedom of Expression and the Press, Freedom of Information/ Media, Freedom of Assembly and Protest, Women’s Right and Rights of Racial Minorities and Immigrants are other key areas strengthened by the government in ensuring that the human right situation of Sierra Leone is well respected Speaking on the freedom of expression and press, Hon. Sidi M. Tunis, who presented the Report said that “the proliferation of both the print and electronic media outlets across the country and the social media has created the platform for free speech, devoid of government interference and intimidation.

“Currently, Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC) to repatriate Sierra Leoneans trapped in Kuwait and other countries in the Middle East, whose rights are reported to be violated”, the Report Revealed.

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor in Chief: John Azumah (Secretary General) Contributing Sub-editor: Ifeanyi Nwoko Philip Nyam Chinedu Nweze

Social Media: Kelvin C. Nwachukwu Chioma E. Ejeckam

Editor: Uchenna Duru A.N (Ag. Chief Communication Officer) Writer: Ifeanyi Adewale Valentine Bobby Mark Winful Temitope Ponle Punari Fehintola Favour Egbuta Mame Fatou Niang Photography: Administration: Okechukwu Duru Anazodo Augusta Wole Soyombo Zainab Ogaji John Akpeji