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The 46th session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ended in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, with five Heads of States making strong commitment to the stability and peace of the region.
Five West African Heads of state and government attended the summit which covered a number of issues affecting the region, including the Ebola Virus Outbreak.
President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria on Monday assured the Heads of State of Nigeria’s commitment to peace and stability in the region that has witnessed pockets of acts of terror.
In a speech at the opening of the 46th session of the regional body, President Jonathan admitted that “the region is faced with challenges of Ebola Virus Disease and terrorism in the last six months”.
He called on the member states, development partners and the international community not to relent in contributing to the fund needed to fight the disease.
“We must also admit that the region has continued to face many serious challenges. Prominent among these Challenges is the ravaging Ebola epidemic.
“The last six months have witnessed the negative impact of the Ebola Virus Disease in the region.
“Since the outbreak in March this year, the disease has resulted in over 7,000 deaths apart from negatively impacting on our economies.
“I call on member states, development partners and international community to contribute generously to the ECOWAS Regional Solidarity Fund to fight the Ebola Virus Disease,” President Jonathan said.
The chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and the President of Ghana, Mr John Mahama, decried the political instability in Mali and Burkina Faso, the threats of insecurity posed by Boko Haram in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Mr Mahama called on the leaders to work harder to keep the region safe, secure and attractive for investments and overall good of the people.
He said: “Terrorism or lack of security in one West African nation reflects negatively on the whole of our sub-region. So we must work together, harder and with smart strategies to keep West Africa safe, secure and attractive for investment for the overall good of our people”.
Before going into a closed door session that followed the opening, heads of state and government launched the common external tariff for the subregion.
Talks at the 46th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government will hugely focus on the current political and security situation in the sub-region.
President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and other participating Heads of State and Government of the regional body will also receive a briefing on recent developments in Burkina Faso and review the report of the 33rd Meeting of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council.
The increasing attacks of a terrorist group, Boko Haram, on villages, towns, churches, mosques, schools and other public places are reasons for the focus of talks at the ECOWAS Summit on insecurity, as it poses a threat to the region with most countries’ borders said to be porous.
Nigerian military personnel have continued to undertake counter terrorism operations in the north-east region but the terrorist group has not retreated.
A statement by a spokesman for President Jonathan, Reuben Abati, said the ECOWAS summit will also focus on the consideration and adoption of the 2014 annual report of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the consideration and adoption of the report of the 73rd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and the election of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for next year.
President Jonathan, the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President John Mahama of Ghana, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Mr Mohammed Ibn Chambas presented statements to the one-day summit before the closed-door session began.
A statement on the summit’s decisions is expected at the conclusion of their deliberations.
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