By Iddi Yire
Accra, April 17, GNA – Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, has stated that the regional body currently stands at a defining moment in the history of West Africa.
He explained that with ECOWAS being at its cross-roads, it signified that the region was undergoing significant changes and transitions with potential implications for its future.
This was particularly relevant given the ongoing discussions within ECOWAS and the geopolitical shifts in the region, Mr Musah said.
“The hurdles ahead are daunting, but with the commitment of every West African, particularly citizen agency, to re-imagine ‘the ECOWAS by the People, of the People and for the People,’ with a strong sense of solidarity and self-reliance, the Community shall traverse this trying period and emerge as a stronger and more resilient regional organisation,” he added.
Dr Musah made these statements in his keynote address at the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) High-Level Policy Dialogue on the theme: “Understanding Geopolitical and Strategic Changes in West Africa: Emerging Challenges and the Future of West Africa” in Accra.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Social Science Research Council’s African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and the Conflict Research Network (CORN) West Africa.
It was to provide a platform for stakeholders to reflect deeply on the innovative frameworks and mechanisms capable of addressing the emerging challenges in West Africa in the medium to long-term within the context of relevant Articles of the 1993 ECOWAS Revised Treaty and changing geopolitical and strategic context in the region.
Participants at the dialogue, deliberated on the strategies for addressing the concerns of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries, and bringing Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger back within the ECOWAS fold.
The meeting specifically sought to address issues such as seeking innovative frameworks and mechanisms capable of addressing the emerging challenges in West Africa in the medium to long-term, within the changing geopolitical and strategic context in the region?
Dr Musah said he was not oblivious of the fact that this High-Level Dialogue had been convened at a historical, cross-roads and consequential moment in the evolution of ECOWAS.
It was to continue the debate between the strand of thought that was already singing the dirges of the Community as a viable project and the school of thought that argues for the Community to learn from its shortcomings and build on its undeniable successes by repositioning its normative and institutional frameworks to better meet the exigencies of our times.
“This is most welcome as we, as policy makers, rely on your deep thinking and research outputs to polish our efforts at promoting regionalism and democratization, sustainable development and peace and security,” he said.
Dr Musah cited some challenges facing ECOWAS such as the issue of terrorism, the breakaway of the AES countries and military interventions in the subregion, saying the regional bloc would continue to make a case for democratic transition, no matter the challenges.
He said: “To achieve this goal, we must begin by asking critical questions at this forum. For example: Are political parties in Member-States fit for purposes as the basic units and incubators of governance? Are short term limits for Presidents and Government conducive to continuity and good economic and social governance in the absence of autonomous and resilient civil bureaucracy and minimum cross-party national vision?”
“How do we ensure the independence of the Judiciary to prevent it from being one of the weakest links in accountable governance?”
Dr Musah announced that ECOWAS would hold a Special Summit on the Future of Regional Integration in West Africa and the Future of Multilateralism, as part of an effort to address the numerous challenges facing the regional body.
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