115 Ecowas Parliamentarians are meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, for the parliament’s 2023 first ordinary session to deliberate issues of concern to the sub-region, such as the security, political and economic situations in the Ecowas region.
Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Ecowas Commission, said the sub-region situation remains worrisome as he addressed the opening of the 2023 First Ordinary Session of the Ecowas Parliament underway in Abuja, Nigeria.
Speaking at the start of the session on Monday, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Ecowas Commission, said his office is providing the needed resources to ensure stability, security and resilience in Member States.
He commends the commitment and leadership of Speaker Tunis in supporting democracy and good governance in the region. He praises Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau’s President Embalo, current Chairman of the Ecowas Conference of Heads of State, for their contribution to the work of the Ecowas Commission.
Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of the Ecowas Parliament said it is common knowledge that the mandate of the Ecowas Parliament has been limiting its endeavour to deliver concrete and tangible results in certain areas.
Since the inauguration of the First legislature of the Parliament, 20 years ago, Speaker Tunis said the Parliament is yet to achieve its goal of being a full-fledged legislative body.
On the regional scene, Speaker Tunis is concerned about the slow pace at which the transitional processes are unfolding in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. He said the Parliament is also monitoring developments in Sierra Leone and Liberia, where elections are due in June and October this year, respectively.
The Ordinary Session was preceded by a two-day town hall meeting in Abuja, organized by the Ecowas Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), to mentor the next generation of leaders under the theme “stimulating regional dynamics for mentoring the next generation of decision-makers.”
The event was attended by over a hundred women from across the 15 ECOWAS member states.
