ECOWAS Declares readiness as AfCFTA comes into Force --- Seeks more commitment to use of ID Cards

ECOWAS Declares readiness as AfCFTA comes into Force --- Seeks more commitment to use of ID Cards

Jean-Claude Brou had stated that the 15-member Community was ready for the commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. Mr. Brou further informed Members of Parliament that the May-end implementation date was now sacrosanct as 52 of the 55 countries in Africa had already signed. Brou while presenting the ‘Status of the Community’ Report to Parliament, also informed Parliament that 13 of the 15 Member States of the sub-region were included in the 52 signatories to the Agreement. According to him, nothing was in the way of its commencement, adding that of the 52 signatories, 23, have deposited the ratification instrument. “As at April 19, 52 countries out of the 55 on the African continent have signed this agreement, 23 have deposited the ratification instrument. The quorum was 22 countries which has been met. So the agreement on the Continental Free trade Zone will come into force by the end of May 2019. “In ECOWAS we have 13 member countries that have signed this agreement, nine have deposited the

instrument of ratification. We are still working with all the parties concerned because once it has come into force, that will be a basic stage for the technical part that we are getting to”, he explained. “We are getting ready for this at the level of the Commission,” he said. Brou siezed the opportunity to appeal to Members of Parliament to advocate in Member States, the importance of using the ECOWAS Identity Card to aid free movement. The Commission President who said that the Protocol on the free movement of persons and goods was signed 40 years ago, decried its implementation which he said had not gotten to the desired levels. He added that the Commission had put in place Joint Border Posts (JBP), expressing hopes that things will improve. “The biometric ID Card is still an area that we are experiencing some major lack of satisfaction. We believe this is important because it would affect the free movement of persons. We are relying on you to carry the message to the authorities in your Member States so that the use of ECOWAS biometric ID card will become a reality”, he said.

urgent measures to curb the current security situations in the ECOWAS subregion. Members were unanimous in the call, following the address by the President of the ECOWAS Commission on the Status of the Community Report in which he highlighted the dire security situation in the subregion. In his submission to the Plenary, Hon. Abdullahi Gbilan (Burkina Faso), noted that a lot has been lost in the region due to insecurity, mostly occasioned by the problems relating to democratic governance. He recommended adequate funding of activities that promote and enhance peace within the region as a panacea.. “Also, we should avoid a situation where people of bad fate come in and prosper on our sub region. We don’t want to be having problems from Heads of States who want third term in office”, he added. Contributing to the deliberation, Hon. Mata Jagne (Gambia), called for quick and timely intervention in crisis prone areas by the ECOWAS, so as to mitigate problems before they escalate into major crisis., adding that, most of the crises experienced within the sub-region, were avoidable. On her part, Hon. Veronica Sessay (Sierra Leone) stated that the effects of the scourge of violence were

MPs Call for Quick Response against Insecurity in ECOWAS Region

mostly on women, children, the elderly as well as the disabled, and therefore proposed a Rwanda model ‘Reconciliation Commission’ to tackle root causes of violence.. Giving insights into his country’s experience, Hon. Sankara Alexander (Burkina Faso) said: “from 2016 till date, there have been nothing less than three hundred deaths in Burkina Faso, and more than one thousand schools have been closed while more than one hundred and fifty four thousand students are on the street as well, while teachers have lost their jobs. All of this is due to terrorism, he lamented. “The phenomenon is regional and we do need a regional response. The ECOWAS Commission needs to take this head-on because insecurity is plaguing the region”, Hon Sankara concluded.. Hon. Fatoumata Fomba (Mali) noted that deaths in Mali due to terrorism is almost common-place and called on ECOWAS to come to their aid, as well as come up with an Act on Violence Against Women to help curb the vulnerability of women in the region. After an exhaustive deliberation on the issue, Members of Parliament were more resolute in their stance for a more committed synergy and cooperation, by Member States, to squarely tackle the menace of insecurity in the region.

Members of Parliament have called for

Nigeria spends N500bn to get 91 million citizens out of poverty

of its population out of poverty, the country’s delegation told Parliament at plenary. Hon. Ibrahim Sadiq who presented on behalf of the delegation said that the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari was working tirelessly and has spent over N500 billion to get about 50 per cent of its population out of severe poverty. Sadiq said that the government had 26 different ongoing schemes aimed at empowering citizens and ending poverty. Some of the programmes were listed to include: the Poverty Alleviation Program (PAP), the National Poverty Eradication Program (NEPAP) and the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). Speaking further, it was disclosed that under the Government of President Buhari, the National Social Investment Programme had been launched to graduate its citizens from poverty through capacity building investment and direct support. “The current administration is working with State Governments to create jobs and empower youths

Efforts are in top gear in Nigeria to get 91 million

and has kick started the National Home Grown School Feeding Program (NHGSFP), the National Cash Transfer Program (NCTP) and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP). “Five Hundred Billion Naira (N500,000,000,000.00) has been put in so far, towards the achievement of its objectives through the various empowerment programme. Hence, the Government is working hand-in-hand with the World Bank to determine the beneficiaries of the program,” he said. The report also stated that the Government has enhanced effort in combating youth Unemployment so as to reduce the poverty level. “In response to the rise in unemployment and with a desire to curb youth idleness, the National Employment Council was inaugurated with national policies regarding employment; “Following the inauguration of this new national employment council and its policies, the Government is positive that more job opportunities will be created, which will in-turn reduce the number of unemployed individuals and youths and reduce poverty at large” they concluded.

ECOWAS single currency: Task force to give assessment in June …Experts on name, symbol set up

The ECOWAS Task Force on the sub-region’s

single currency would meet in June, 2019, for an assessment of the studies conducted so far on the currency, President of the Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, has stated. Furthermore, he informed Members of Parliament that a committee of experts had been set up to determine the name and logo of the common currency. Brou disclosed this in the ‘Status of the Community’ Report which he presented at the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament at Abuja, Nigeria. President Brou said that stakeholders in the region’s economic and finance sectors, including the central banks and ministers of finance had been deliberating on the single currency. “The single currency is a topic that is very important because it completes the free movement of persons for a single market and if there is a single currency, one can carry out trade and (therefore), there is need for harmonization”, he declared. Moreover, he added that “Deliberations are being carried out with the central banks and the ministers of finance in the region and some key issues are being discussed. Issues such as the convergence criteria, the best exchange regime to adopt, with challenges and costs involved so as to give the best conditions for the Community”. “The studies that are being carried out would be completed by next month so that we can have the proposals and make progress.” Brou divulged, adding that the meeting would determine the possibility of achieving the single currency by 2020 as set by the Heads of State.

“It will be on the basis of the results of all the studies on the assessment that is currently being done that we will see where we stand exactly but the objectives have been set by the Heads of State,” he said. The Authority of Heads of State and Government had set aside 2020 for ECOWAS Member States to achieve the single currency which would promote economic integration. On the name and logo of the single currency, Mr. Brou said that a group of experts had been drafted to make proposals of the name as well as the logo or symbol of the currency.

Member States Urged To Financially Commit In The Fight Against Insecurity

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean- Claude Kassi Brou, has identified the problem of insecurity as a problem affecting the whole of West Africa as well as the African region and as such much be fought collectively with a firm commitment to pooling resources towards the fight, if it must be surmounted. Mr.Brou, in the ‘Status of the Community’ report which he presented to Parliament, declared that insecurity is a major problem stretching beyond the coastal countries of Africa. He further opined that it had become the major challenge to ECOWAS. “Our region is facing serious security challenges. We see a situation where attacks by terrorists are increasing. Some days back there were attacks in Burkina Faso and in Niger. Many countries are affected by this. The security situation is threatening to (even) coastal countries, which means it is the whole region that is affected,” Brou stated. He stressed that because of the spread of the challenges, only a regional approach could effectively tackle the menace while adding that Member States must, therefore, be prepared to commit finances to the fight against terrorism and insecurity. “We need to have a regional answer to this that would be sustainable because it is a constrain that must be fought. We call for a strong commitment to fight this

and of course we call for resources. We need to be ready to bring up internal resources to efficiently fight this menace”, he further emphasized. However, he revealed that ECOWAS had started on that path, stating that “Of course we have started and we will mobilise the international community. We need to be realistic: (because) security matter is a question of life and death, it is a question of peace.” He therefore, urged that Member States “need to be ready to make the necessary important financial effort to face this crisis because it destabilises the countries, weakens the countries and negatively affects the implementation of economic development programme.” Apart from the commitment to pooling finances, The ECOWAS Commission’s chief added that the assessment and holistic approach to the fight against insecurity must also be collective. Brou, however, commended ECOWAS Member States for the advancement of democracy, with the successful conduct of Presidential and Parliamentary elections in many of the countries. While admitting that democratic principles were not yet perfect, he concluded that West Africa was moving in the right direction and appealed that the trajectory must be sustained.

ECOWAS Parliament recommends Regional Defense Force, Electoral Commission

proposed a regional defense force that would assist in the enforcement of security in Member States. In the same vain, the MPs, at the 2019 First Ordinary Session of the Parliament in Abuja, Nigeria, also recommended that a common ECOWAS electoral commission to guide elections in Member States be established. Reacting to presentations of Country Reports from Mali, Niger and Guinea, the Parliamentarians decried the level of insecurity in Mali. The Country Report presented by the delegation of Mali showed that the Malian Government has been seeking to restore stability and rebuild following a series of setbacks since early 2012. These include

Members of ECOWAS Parliament have

a military coup d’état, renewed fighting between Government forces and Tuareg rebels, and the seizure of its northern territory by radical extremists. Hon.. Mahama Ayariga (Ghana), suggested that the Parliament moves a motion to propose to the Authority of Heads of State to consider the establishment of an ECOWAS Defense Force. He explained that the establishment of a defense force would promote security and the region’s common market. “If we have a common market where insecurity makes it difficult for our citizens to access our various markets, then the very objective of ECOWAS will be defeated. In that regard, I suggest that this Parliament considers a motion to propose to the Heads of State, to consider the establishment of an ECOWAS common defence force”, Ayariga opined. According to him, ECOWAS should establish “the force that can go beyond national sovereign boundaries and assist to enforce basic security in our various countries.” Concurring with Ayariga, Hon. Ibrahim Sadiq (Nigeria), noted that“We have to look at Mali very critically because what affects the country affects Niger, Nigeria and our sister countries in Cameroon and Chad.” “There is a need for us in this Parliament to make our Heads of State sit down and do a very critical analysis of these issues and how we can as a group tackle the

Security best tool for attaining ECOWAS goals… Brou

The President of the ECOWAS Commission,

H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, has opined that proper security is a veritable tool towards attaining the Community’s goals and objectives. He stressed that the sub-region’s current state of security remains worrisome, with emerging transnational threats including terrorism, maritime piracy, drug trafficking and arms proliferation. Other security threats faced by the sub region, according to President Brou, include human trafficking, smuggling, money laundering, cyber criminality, money and various counterfeiting practices. Brou noted that the situation has led to peace and security issues having to continue dominating the

Commission’s agenda. Speaking further, Mr Brou maintained that the main drivers of insecurity in West Africa were diverse and remained unchanged while the prevalence of corruption, poor governance, structural inequalities, high rate of illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, ethnic and religious tensions in some Member States among others have not helped the situation. He assured the Parliament that the ECOWAS Commission will continue to provide timely assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the affected communities in Nigeria and other parts of the region. President Brou however, observed that the ECOWAS objectives and plans, whether collectively or individually will not yield desired outcomes if the questions of insecurity are treated in an unenthusiastic manner. He disclosed that in view of this reality, the Community came up with a strategy, ‘The ECOWAS Early Warning System, ECOWARN’, which involves monitoring various indicators related to pandemics, social factors believed to be related to social unrest and armed conflict. “This system seeks to alert the Commission to emerging security threats”, he explained.

of the ECOWAS Parliament, has called on all ECOWAS Member States to “drop their egoisms and embrace the pursuit for the single currency”. Reacting to the Report on the Status of the Community presented to the Parliament by President of the ECOWAS Commission, Speaker Cisse Lo admonished that the issue of Single Currency had lingered for too long. He said that the collective economic development of the Sub-Region was tied to the adoption of a single currency and other policies that border on integration. “It is urgent to efficiently go with a lot of rapidity to look at the single currency, it is really critical for our development. I would like to say in this room that it is very urgent that our Member States put aside their National egoism and concentrate on solidarity and unity for us to be able to have a single economic body”, he added. “I think that we should accelerate the process for us to start having the single currency,” he advised. Speaker Cisse Lo seized the opportunity to decry the attitudes of security operatives at the borders, who he said, were hampering the implementation of the free

movement Protocol. The Speaker who has led many delegations to the borders lamented that the security operatives do not align themselves with the provisions of the Protocol which their countries were signatories to. He said that most of these border personnel compel ECOWAS citizens to make irregular payments, by way of bribes before they were allowed through borders. “We have gone through the borders and there is this persistence or resistance of the security agents to apply the texts that regulate the free movement of persons in our Community. I think we need to take very drastic steps”, he proposed. He appealed to the President of the Commission to forward the message to the Authority of Heads of State and Government so that the agencies at the borders can respect the Protocol. “We have received a lot of complaints from the borders and we have also seen it for ourselves that the agents at the borders refuse to comply”, Mr Cisse Lo stated. He added that there was need to also fight corruption, totally condemning a widely reported case where a police officer at one of the borders asked for bribes in ‘broad day light’.

Rt. Hon. Moustapha Cisse Lo, the Speaker

Paris Climate Agreement: Guinea Bissau Works To Mitigate Climate Change Effects

Guinea Bissau declared that it had always prioritised the need to put in place international mechanism to facilitate the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. The delegation of Guinea Bissau, in the Country Report it presented to Parliament, while divulging that conserved forests and protected zones make up more than 20 percent of the country land mass, also intimated Members of Parliament that the government of Guinea Bissau scaled up its provision of access to new and renewable energy in order to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the energy component of the Paris Climate Agreement. The Report, presented by Hon. Martina Moreira Moniz, stated that the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement will enable the country receive resources for conservation services provided. It noted that this will help to enhance its efforts towards mitigating effects of global climate change, adding that one of the causes of climate change in the country include rise in average sea level and gas emissions.

situation”, he added. ...Mr Sadiq also suggested that Mali decentralise and create an upper chamber so that its other citizens would feel represented to mitigate the crisis. Also, Mr Kofi Humado (Ghana), suggested the establishment of an ECOWAS institution to promote security in the region. “Anytime we are presented with the, Community budget, a lot of money is allocated for security issues and it seems we are not having value for money so far. I believe we need a holistic arrangement through having an ECOWAS institution that can promote security for the region.” Mr. Edwin Snowe (Liberia), urged Members of Parliament to “invoke” a debate and come up with a firm decision on the Malian crisis.

He said: “We need to be a little more proactive. I propose by asking this Parliament to invoke a debate on the Malian crisis where we can sincerely look into the crisis and see how best ECOWAS can come up with a firm position on the situation in Mali.” Concerning the proposal of a common ECOWAS Electoral Commission, Members of Parliament were of the view that its establishment would minimise costs of elections in Member States. They also reasoned that such a Commission would ensure common election standards in Member States. The lawmakers also proposed that the ECOWAS Electoral Commission should have a uniform code that governs every election where even standards apply.

ECOWAS Parliament recommends Regional Defense Force,Electoral Commission

Guinea Bissau Stabilizes After Election As Delegation Applauds ECOWAS ……….Wants ECOWAS forces to remain till Presidential Polls

Hon. Martina Moreira Moniz (Guinea Bissau)

on March 10, Guinea Bissau had overcome its political crisis. “Guinea Bissau owes this achievement mainly to ECOWAS and the International Community on the whole, and the entire people of Guinea are indeed grateful for this support”, the delegation reported. Nonetheless, on the continued relevance of the ECOWAS Mission in Bissau, the Report added that “---- although constitutional order and peace have been restored, we still believe that ECOWAS needs to maintain its stabilization force referred to as the ECOMIB, in the country. We hope that the next Summit of Heads of State and Government will decide on the extension of the mandate of this force till the presidential election expected to take place in October or November.” According to the Country Report, the ECOMIB still had more work to do in terms of protecting lives and property in the country as well as training the defense and security forces of Guinea Bissau.

ECOWAS was profoundly commended for the

peace and stability being currently witnessed in Guinea Bissau, after the conduct of its election in March, 2019. The delegation of the Member State to Parliament reported to the Plenary in the Country Report presentation, that since the conduct of the election

Services of ECOWAS mission in the Gambia still needed, say parliamentarians

The Gambian delegation to the ECOWAS

however, stated that the security situation in the country “continues to improve and ECOMIG Forces continues to play an important role by ensuring peace and safety of all citizens”. “The Security Sector Reform is at advanced stage. It is expected that the reform will transform the country’s security sector into an effective, professional forces capable of defending the supremacy of the Constitution at all times. “As the security sector reform is ongoing, the services of ECOMIG is needed and we still count on ECOWAS and the international community to provide us with the much needed resources and expertise to conclude these reforms.” ECOWAS had also stated financial constraint as one of the challenges faced in the maintenance of the troops with the European Union (EU) supporting the mission with nine million euro. According to the Africa-EU Partnership, ECOMIG benefited from European Union funding of 2.3 million euro under the Early Response Mechanism until May 2017. It moved to a Peace Support Operation as of June 7, 2017, with a funding of 7.5 million euro which ended on May 20, 2018, following which an extension would have been requested by ECOWAS.

Insecurity: Liberia braces as mass demonstration Looms

Liberia is still at the verge of witnessing

serious unrest as top political parties are set to begin a mass demonstration that may lead to insecurity. The demonstration they fear may lead to confusion in the country, Liberian delegation to Parliament disclosed. “Recent political events unfolding in the country have the propensity to further shatter Liberia’s already fragile peace if steps are not taken to arrest the situation”.

Hon. Melvin Snowe who presented the report on behalf of the delegation said that one of the demonstrations is slated for June 7, 2019. He said that demonstration was being organized by a group named “Council of Patriots”, made up of members of four major opposition political parties and tagged “SAVE THE STATE”. He further stated that the president of Liberia has called for dialogue and has invited the leaders of the council of patriots to a meeting on 14th May 2019.

Ecowas Community Court of Justice

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), having been established by Article 1 of the Lagos Treaty of 28th May, 1975 to promote the socio- economic integration of Member States of the Community, widened its scope with the revision of the Treaty in 1993. The revision was meant to enable fasttrack the integration agenda, by establishing other institutions of the Community including the Community Court of Justice, as the primary legal organ for the sub-region.

Common facts about the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice include:

of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and with the responsibility of resolving disputes related to the interpretation of the Community’s Treaty, Protocols and Conventions. Article 2 thereof made the Court the principal judicial organ of the Community.

· The 1991 Protocol was amended by the Supplementary Protocols (A.SP.1/01/05) of 19 January, 2005 and (A/SP.1/06/06) of 14 June, 2006. The Protocols, supplemented by the Rules of the Court provide the ground rules for the functioning of the Court.

· The Composition of the Community Court of Justice-; The Court is composed of a panel of five (5) independent Judges, headed by the President, deputized by the Vice President, with 3 other members. They are persons of high moral character, appointed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government and must be nationals of Member States for a four-year non-renewable term of office, upon the recommendation of the Community Judicial Council.

· Subsequently, the Protocol on the Court of Justice (A/P1/7/91) was enacted on 6 July, 1991, to regulate the functioning of the Court as the judicial organ

· The Mandate of the Court is to ensure the observance of law and of the principles of equity and in the interpretation and application of the provisions of the Revised Treat and all other subsidiary legal instruments adopted by Community.

Overview of the Ecowas Centre for Renewable Energy And Energy Efficiency (ECREEE)

In recent years, the ECOWAS Commission has

gradually taken steps to mainstream Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RE&EE) into its regional activities and policies. The experience of the European Union (EU) has shown that regional integration can be a useful tool to facilitate the adoption and implementation of RE&EE policies and incentive schemes on national levels (e.g. EU Directive with binding renewable energy targets). The Ouagadougou Declaration, adopted at the ECOWAS Conference for Peace and Security on 12 November, 2007 in Burkina Faso, articulated the need to establish a regional centre to promote RE&EE. At the conference, the Austrian Minister for European and International Affairs and UNIDO pledged support for the creation of such an agency. In 2008, the 61st Session of ECOWAS Council of Ministers adopted the Regulation C/REG.23/11/08 which provided the legal basis for the establishment of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE). In 2010, the Secretariat of the Centre was established during a six-month preparatory phase in Praia, Cabo Verde, with the support of the ECOWAS Commission and the Austrian and Spanish Governments, as well as technical assistance from UNIDO. ECREEE

was formally inaugurated at its headquarters in Praia, Cape Verde, on 6 July 2010,with a ceremony conducted by H. E. José Maria Neves, the Prime Minister of Cabo Verde, and the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. James Gbeho. In 2011, the Centre received new funding commitments and pledges were from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Brazil. ECREEE’s mandate is also perfectly aligned with the broader strategic goals of ECOWAS Vision 2020. It seeks to directly realize two of the components of this vision, namely: (1) ‘A region that anchors its development on sustainable development, including agricultural and mineral resource development strategy, and on planned agricultural and industrial strategies; a region that develops its infrastructure and makes services accessible to its citizens and enterprises.’ (2) ‘A region that conserves its environment and resources, promotes modes of equitable and sustainable development in economic, social and environmental fields; a region which brings its contribution to bear on resolution of the common problems and challenges confronting the planet.’

Guinea Bissau cracks down major drug Cartel in W/Africa …………. Impounds 800kg of cocaine

The security forces in Guinea Bissau

have cracked down a major drug cartel specializing in smuggling cocaine and other drugs to other West African Countries. Security forces and Judicial Police in Guinea Bissau, in a sting operation on the 9th March, 2019, uncovered and confiscated 800 kilograms of cocaine on transit to other West African Countries.

Guinea Bissau’s delegation reported to Parliament while sitting in plenary, that the operation was made possible with intelligence from Interpol and DEA as well as the support from the French and British Police Services. “This operation helped to dismantle a large network of drug traffickers operating on the sub-region”, the Country Report disclosed.

ECOWAS to begin feasibility studies for Praia-Abidjan highway

As part of the move to ensure a more comprehensive

regional integration, the ECOWAS Commission declared its readiness to commission a study for the second phase of the Trans-West African highway that would link Praia, the capital city of Cabo Verde to Dakar, Senegal and then onward to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. President Jean-Claude Brou, of the ECOWAS Commission told Members of Parliament that “We have started the process for the second phase that is Praia-Dakar-Abidjan, to meet up with the first phase. The Treaty has been signed and we are finalizing the instrument for Cape Verde and now looking for funds for feasibility studies. He further explained that “AfDB has shown interest but we are calling on the World Bank and other partners as this will enable us strengthen our systems. We are talking about seven countries, from Cape Verde up to Cote D’ivoire, and 3,000 kilo meters of highway, with a rail linking Dakar and Bamako, which is one of the aspects that is in our infrastructure development programme.” On the status of the first phase of the highway, Mr. Brou told MPs that the Community had secured a $22 million facility from the AfDB and the AU. “One of the major things that have been done here is the Treaty which was signed and ratified by 5 countries for the establishment of a management authority because the highway would be managed by a regional authority. Feasibility studies have started since we were able to mobilise $22 million from African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Union (AU)”, Mr Brou explicated He assured that “the feasibility and engineering studies are being undertaken. As soon as they are ready, then the implementation and the construction will commence.” The Trans–West African Coastal Highway is a transnational highway project to link 12 West African coastal nations, from Mauritania in the North-West of the region to Nigeria in the east. It also includes existing feeder roads to two landlocked countries of Mali and Burkina Faso. The eastern end of the highway terminates at Lagos, Nigeria.