The five days meeting brought together ECOWAS Parliamentarians with a view to discussing issues of peace and security promoting and the need to promote domesticating various ECOWAS protocols.
The Banjul meeting will avail the ECOWAS lawmakers the opportunities to discuss issues affecting the region with the theme, ‘Community texts on Peace, Security and Good Governance: Challenges in their implementation and the Oversight Role of the ECOWAS Parliament’
In his remark, the speaker of the National Assembly of the Gambia, Fabakary Tombong Jatta, says the convergence could not have come at a better time when the values of democracy in the region are being undermined, adding “violent extremism is threatening the very fabric of our societies and rising cost of living is posing significant challenges to safeguarding peace in virtually all our member states.”
The deputy speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Binta Camara, emphasised the need to promote domesticating various ECOWAS protocols.
The chairman of the Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS Parliament, Edwin Snowe Junior, says the region is faced with different problems, citing the three coups in Guinea, Burkina Faso and Mali which all occurred due to various reasons.
Mr. Junior also urged the need for term limits in preventing conflicts in the region.
Corruption is killing our continent and also this issue of third term saying, “it is only fair that you serve your people for two mandate,”
The minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Dr. Mamadou Tunkara, called on ECOWAS member countries to domesticate various ECOWAS protocols.
The Interior Minister Siako Sonko spoke on the importance of security in sustaining peace ,while urging the member countries to advocate for peace and security.
The Gambian Delegation to ECOWAS Parliament, Billy J Tunkara, urged his colleagues to be more steadfast and serve the interest of the ECOWAS people.
The main objective of the meeting therefore is to create an opportunity for the Members of the Joint Committee to take greater ownership of the ECOWAS Texts on peace and security, democracy and good governance and identify the best mechanism for oversight for their effective implementation.
