Mr Hémou Dédou P. Jonas est le Représentant de la CEDEAO à Bruxelles depuis le 1er Avril 2016. Il assumait précédemment, au siège de la Commission de la CEDEAO, les fonctions de Directeur des Relations Extérieures. Il a également occupé de 2010 à 2012, le poste de Directeur des Affaires Politiques.

Antérieurement à ses fonctions régionales, Mr Hemou était Conseiller au cabinet du Ministre de l’Economie et des Finances de la République Togolaise en charge des questions d’intégration économique. Il fut notamment le Responsable de la Cellule Nationale CEDEAO-UEMOA du Togo.

Maitrisant parfaitement les enjeux actuels de développement, Mr Hemou jouit d’une vaste expérience dans les relations internationales, la coopération et le développement ainsi que sur les questions de paix et de sécurité. Il est titulaire d’un Doctorat en Economie et d’un Diplôme Supérieur en Diplomatie et en Stratégie. Mr Hemou est de nationalité togolaise, marié et père de deux enfants.

 Senegal has won the10^th edition of the ECOWAS Tournoi de Lutte Africaine de la Communauté (TOLAC) in Dosso, Niger Republic. Senegal beat Niger Republic in the finals of the team event to win the gold medal, with Niger winning the silver and Nigeria the bronze.

The tournament which featured team and individual events in 66kg, 76kg, 86kg, 100kg and 120kg categories ended on the 8^th of May, 2016 with Senegal dominating the medals table at the individual category with Oumar Kane of Senegal winning the gold medal for the 120kg, while Nigeria’s Boltic Sinivie won the silver and Adamou Abdou of Niger the bronze.

Similarly, Senegal won the gold medals for the 100kg, 86kg and 76kg categories while Nigeria won gold for the 66kg and silver for the 100kg and 76kg categories.

TOLAC 2016 which was organized with support from Niger Republic’s Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture featured wrestlers from Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

The tournament was attended by top government delegations from participating member states and His Excellency Salissou Ada, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture of the Republic of Niger, Dr. Fatimata Dia Sow, the Commissioner of Social Affairs and Gender of the ECOWAS Commission and Abdoulaye Issa, the Governor of the Region of Dosso among others.

Dakar, the Senegalese capital, will host three statutory meetings of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from 9 to 13 May 2016 which are the 19^th meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC), the 36^th ordinary meeting of the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) and the 76^th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers.

The 19^th meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) holding from 9 to 11 May will set the ball rolling for this series of meetings which will feature chiefly, the presentation of the new President, Vice-President and Commissioners of the ECOWAS Commission.

The meeting will also be devoted to the consideration of all major issues affecting the deepening of the regional integration process, particularly the functioning of Community institutions and bodies.

Member States delegates will therefore consider the tasks assigned to the institutions and the Community’s financial situation, in addition to the Memorandum on Phases 1 and 2 of the Lungi Logistics Depot in Sierra Leone.

Discussions will equally focus on the memoranda on the transformation of the Missions Planning and Management Unit into the Peace Support Operations Division, the Community Strategic Framework, payment of resettlement allowances to statutory and professional officers, and the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority.

Other items tabled before the 19^th AFC meeting are revision of the ECOWAS staff regulations, presentation of the financial controller’s 2015 interim report, update on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union and status of the Regional Indicative Programme.

The meeting will end on 11 May and will be followed the next day by the 36^th ordinary session of the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) involving the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence of ECOWAS Member States.

This one-day meeting will discuss the political and security situation in some Member States and the different electoral processes underway in the region.

The Agenda of the 76th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers contains several items slated for decision, endorsement or information.

The Council is made up of Member States’ Ministers of Finance and Integration and will consider in particular, the 2016 ECOWAS Interim Report and the 2015 Final Report of the Financial Controller.

It is also expected to review the report of the 19^th AFC meeting and appraise the implementation status of the tasks assigned by its 75^th session.

The last two items for the decision of Council are the presentation on the Community’s financial situation and the consideration of the draft Agenda for the 49th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government which will be held on 4th June 2016 in the Senegalese capital.

Endorsements will be sought for the report of the Member States’ Ministers of Ouality meeting and the adoption of eleven ECOWAS Harmonized Standards, as well as the final report and communiqué of the 17^th ordinary meeting of the Assembly of Health Ministers of the region.

Similarly, a presentation on the Technical Note on the participation of the West African Health Organization (WAHO) at the high-level Summit on HIV/AIDS will be made to Council members who will also consider the memorandum on the Model National Disaster Management Agency for Member States.

Items presented for the information of Council border on institution reforms, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union and the status of the Regional Indicative Programme.

The 76^th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers will afford a forum for the swearing-in of the ECOWAS Commission’s new Vice President and Commissioners who assumed duty in the first quarter of 2016.

The new President, Mr. Marcel de Souza on the other hand, will be sworn in before the 49^th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to be held in the Senegalese capital on 4th June 2016.

The ECOWAS Commission President, Mr. Marcel de Souza, has called on participants in the 19^th Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) meeting which opened on Monday, 9 May 2016 in Dakar, Senegal, to redouble efforts in enhancing the well-being of West African citizens and achieving an ECOWAS of People.

While expressing satisfaction at the remarkable progress and gains recorded in the regional Organization’s 41 years of existence, Mr. de Souza noted that several challenges still remain to be addressed.

“It is our collective duty to ensure that steps are taken to effectively build the 16^th economy for the 15 Member States, that is, an effective economic and customs union in a political environment that upholds the fundamental rights of citizens and is capable of shrinking the borders of poverty”, he stated.

According to the Commission’s principal, ECOWAS Member States can develop only through active and dynamic regional solidarity and within the context of a common integration policy and strategies.

To that end, Mr. Souza welcomed the meeting which he said presented the occasion to interact with the Community’s representatives. He took the opportunity to remind delegates of the importance of the Community Levy which, in his words, constitutes the backbone for financing ECOWAS programmes and activities.

“I appeal to all Member States to consistently implement the Community Levy Protocol and the relevant mechanisms, to provide the Community with the needed funds”, he said.

The head of ECOWAS’ executive body undertook, along with his team, to manage with due rigour the resources made available to the organization.

In similar fashion, the Director of Regional Integration of Senegal and AFC Chairman, Mr. Jean Antoine Diouf, called on Member States to honour their Community Levy commitments and also exercise stricter controls over the functioning of ECOWAS institutions.

The institutions must show an acute sense of responsibility in the sound management of Community funds and raise the level of its financial governance to meet international standards.

“Our resources should be channeled more towards real development programmes rather than operations or coordination efforts, that is to say meetings and retreats of which some add no real value. The diverse staff body is also expected to be skilled and to create value”, the AFC Chairman said.

Mr. Diouf commended the review of the Staff Regulations and hoped the final document, due to be examined by the 19^th AFC meeting, will spur ECOWAS officers to give of their best for the Community.

The meeting will examine all major issues relating to the deepening of the regional integration process, especially the report on the functioning of Community institutions and bodies.

Member States’ delegates will thus consider the tasks assigned to institutions and the Community’s financial situation, as well as the Memorandum on Phases 1 and 2 of the Lungi Logistics Depot in Sierra Leone.

Discussions will equally focus on the memoranda on the transformation of the Missions Planning and Management Unit into the Peace Support Operations Division, the Community Strategic Framework, payment of resettlement allowances to statutory and professional officers and the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority.

Other items tabled before the meeting are the review of the ECOWAS staff regulations, presentation of the financial controller’s 2015 interim report, update on the Economic Partnership Agree, and status of the Regional Indicative Programme.

The meeting’s opening ceremony afforded the opportunity to present the new Commissioners, Vice-President and President of the ECOWAS Commission.

A meeting on the draft Statute of the ECOWAS Council of the Wise was organized by The ECOWAS Directorate of Mediation and Facilitation in a move to reposition the ECOWAS Council of the Wise organised a two day meeting of Experts from Member States in Abuja, Nigeria from the 4th to 5^th May, 2016 with support from the German International Development Agency (GIZ) to draft a new statue.

The ECOWAS Council of the Wise, as defined by Article 20 of the 1999 Protocol Relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peace-keeping and Security, otherwise known as the Mechanism, is one of the mediation organs of the ECOWAS Commission. The Council of the Wise was operationalized following the adoption of the Mechanism with the appointment of Members of the Council by the President of the Commission, who would, on behalf of the President of the Commission, use their good offices and experience to play the role of mediators, conciliators and facilitators for the purposes of preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution in the region.

Members of the Council of the Wise have over the years, been engaged in various preventive diplomacy capacities such as  Special Envoys, Mediators, Heads and members of pre-electoral facts finding and election observation missions among other assignments.

In line with the new impetus to reposition the Council of the Wise, a draft Statute detailing the mandate, function and administrative framework to guide the work of the Council was developed by the ECOWAS Directorate of Mediation and Facilitation which was debated during the meeting in Abuja.

Mrs. Halima Ahmed, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security represented by Mrs. Florence Iheme, Ag. Director, Mediation and Facilitation in her welcome remarks welcomed participants and commended them for accepting to be part of the workshop. She also underlined the major role played by the Council of the Wise in maintaining peace and stability in the ECOWAS region.

After exhaustive deliberations, inputs, comments and observations during the two-day session, the necessary amendments were made to the draft Statute which was adopted at the end of the meeting.

Right, ECOWAS Commission President H.E. Marcel Allain de Souza welcoming H.E. Eric Mayoraz Amb. de Suisse

1^ST ORDINARY SESSION OF ECOWAS PARLIAMENT 4^TH LEGISLATURE HELD, 17^TH MAY 2016

A cross section of new ECOWAS Commissioners(L-R);  Dr. Hamidou Boly, Commissioner, Education, Social and Culture; Mr. Tchambakou Ayassor, Commissioner, Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources and Mr. Laouali Chaibou, Commissioner, Trade, Customs and Free Movement during the 1^st Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament 4^th Legislature holding in Abuja, 17^th May 2016.

H.E. Marcel Alain de Souza, President, ECOWAS Commission, right, in a handshake with the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Honourable Moustapha Cisse LO, after giving Report of Activities  at the 1^st Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament 4^th Legislature holding in Abuja, 17^th May 2016.

H.E. Marcel Alain de Souza, President, ECOWAS Commission, giving Report of Activities  at the 1^st Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament 4^th Legislature holding in Abuja, 17^th May 2016.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is lending its support towards the development of Mathematics in the region by partnering with the African Academy of Science, African Mathematical Union and UNESCO in the symposium with the title “Current Research Trends in Mathematical Sciences and Applications” which is taking place in Abuja, Nigeria from the 17^th to 20^th May, 2016.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture, Dr. Hamidou Boly, who was represented by Professor Abdoulaye Maga, the Director, Education, Culture, Science & Technology stated that the aim of the symposium is to eventually help reframe national and regional policies on the subject of mathematics. He added that discussions at the symposium will chart an effective course for further propagation of current developments in the mathematical science for the overall development of Africa.

The Symposium will amongst other things, provide a forum for the younger generation of Mathematical Scientists to interact with and be inspired by more established mathematicians and improve on current mentor-mentee relationships.

Professor Adewale Roland T. Solarin, CEO, Nigerian Mathematical Centre, and the President, African Mathematical Union (AMU) & UNESCO Chair on Mathematics highlighted during the opening ceremony that the symposium will review and improve on existing networks on the continent as well as create new ones in collaboration with international partners.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the President African Academy of Science (AAS), Professor Aderemi Kuku, the representatives of the Executive Secretary- National Universities Commission, Prof Julius A.Okojie, representative of the Minister of Education as well as partners and keynote speakers from the International Scientific Community.

The training for prosecutors and investigators in the region will strengthen the fight against cybercrime in the region by focusing on tackling common challenges inhibiting the detection, investigations and prosecutions of cybercrime and other crimes that generate electronic evidence in Member States.

A five-day programme entitled: Get to Know ECOWAS is to hold from May 30^th to the 3^rd of June 2016 in Abuja. It would train participants on the role of journalists in advancing the concept of an ECOWAS of the people among others.

The training which is being organized by the Friedrich- Ebert –Stiftung, Nigeria in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, seeks to draw attention to ECOWAS as one of the socio-political regional success stories on the African continent and beyond standing side by side with other initiatives such as the Andean Pact, Mercosur and South Asian Community of States.

By the reckoning of observers, ECOWAS has made commendable strides on the African continent which also features regional organisations such as Southern African Development Community (SADC), Inter-governmental Authority for Development(IGAD), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the East African Community (EAC).

Some of the milestones accomplished by ECOWAS in this regard include: Common ECOWAS passport, free movement of goods, persons and services, Common External Tariff (CET), Creation of institutional reforms resulting in the emergence of a stable Commission, community Parliament and Court of justice. There is also the taking up of specialised Community services and monitoring of risks and security (Early warning system), Elections monitoring, and health initiatives such as the successful fight against the scourge of Ebola virus, etc.

In view of this, the focus of the training workshop on the role of journalists in the ECOWAS processes is advantageous in order to further popularize ECOWAS operations and programmes and have well informed and engaged ECOWAS citizens by the year 2055.

This will also synergistically bring about a robust relationship between the media, the citizens and those saddled with the responsibility of running the affairs of the regional body.

The training programme seeks to make many more citizens of West Africa and the world at large to have full information on the achievements recorded by ECOWAS in its 41 years of existence as well as its development projects and positive programmes that are slowly transforming the West African region.

Specific thematic areas of focus during the sessions would include: The role of ECOWAS in Ensuring Peace and Stability in West Africa, ICT as a Means of Integrating Peoples across West Africa, Breaking Barriers through Free Movement of Persons and Goods and CET as a Catalyst for Trade Liberalization in West African Region.

Others are: The Story of our Founding Fathers and Establishment of Progressive Regional Body, The Role of Communication Directorate in Creating Awareness Amongst the Citizens of The ECOWAS Community and the Role of the Social Media in advancing the cause of Democracy and Good Governance in West African Region- the Nigerian Example

Through paper presentations, group work and discussions on themes such as Understanding ECOWAS and its Challenges, it is hoped that the exchange of ideas and knowledge would trigger valuable suggestions bringing about the desirable learning curves necessary for the attainment of the lofty goals of the regional community including the formulation of more practical ways of addressing some of the issues like citizens support and ownership of programmes.

H.E. Marcel Alain de Souza, President, ECOWAS Commission making statement, left, during the opening ceremony of 76^th Ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, with him, H.E. Kadim Diop, Chairman of Council and Minister of African Integration, NEPAD and Promotion of Good Governance of the Republic of Senegal. Dakar, 13^th May 2016.

The Senegalese Minister for African Integration and Good Governance, Khadim Diop, has hailed the remarkable progress this year by ECOWAS in the areas of regional integration, democracy and economic development.

In his remarks delivered on Friday, 13 May 2016 in Dakar, Senegal, at the opening of the 76^th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers which he chairs, Mr Diop expressed satisfaction at the entry into force of the Common External Tariff, adoption of the ECOWAS biometric ID card and signing of the Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union.

On the political front, Mr Diop commended the peaceful conduct of elections in five Member States, stating that the successful polls have set ECOWAS firmly on the path of sustainable peace and security.

Concerning the major challenges confronting the West African sub-region, Khadim Diop mentioned poverty, youth unemployment, the recent resurgence of some cases of the Ebola Virus Disease, as well as the imperative need to rapidly find lasting solutions to the Community Levy implementation.

He called for Community resources to be redirected towards priority integrating programmes within the region and lauded the bold protective measures already taken by the new President of the Commission to streamline and reduce the cost of running Community Institutions.

In the same vein, the new President of the Community’s executive body, Marcel de Souza descibed the austerity, cost reduction and cash control measures he has put in place with the support of the Commissioners and Heads of ECOWAS Institutions.

He expressed regret at the grim state of ECOWAS’ finances which are derived largely from raw materials and oil exports.

The situation is unlikely to push Member States to pay the Community Levy, Mr. de Souza said and the question should be asked if this is the reason for the Commission’s dangerous and precarious financial situation.

He reiterated the interest that regional integration holds which he said can be achieved only in an environment of peace and security, as well as the risks and threats which impede the economic development of the Community.

To achieve this, Marcel de Souza urged the Community to be particularly careful and to increase its dynamism at a time when ECOWAS is being constantly shaken by violence, sea piracy and terrorist attacks in several Member States, which have resulted in the loss of human lives.

The 76^th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers of the regional organisation has some important items on its agenda presented both for decision and approval.

The Council is made up of the Ministers of Finance and Integration of Member States and will consider in particular, the 2016 ECOWAS Interim Report and the 2015 Final Report of the Financial Controller. It is also expected to consider the report of the 19^th meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) and review the status of the tasks assigned by its 75^th session.

The last two items for the decision of Council concern the financial situation of the Community and the consideration of the draft agenda for the 49^th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to be held on 4 June 2016 in the Senegalese capital.

Items slated for approval include the report of ECOWAS Ministers of Quality and the adoption of eleven ECOWAS Standards (ECOSTAND), as well as the report and final communiqué of the 17^th meeting of the Assembly of Health Ministers.

Council members will be presented with a technical note on the participation of the West African Health Organisation at a high-level HIV/AIDS Summit and will consider the memorandum of the ECOWAS standard model agency for the management of natural disasters in Member States.

Items presented for information are updates on the institutional reforms, Economic Partnership Agreement between West Africa and the European Union and the status of the Regional Indicative Programme.

The 76^th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers was also the occasion for the Vice President and seven Commissioners who assumed duty in the first quarter of 2016, to take their oath of office before the President of the Community Court of Justice, Honourable Judge Maria do Ceu Silva Monteiro.

The Commissioners are Ayassor Tchambakou from Togo, responsible for Agriculture, Environnement and Water Resources, Prof Hamidou Boly from Burkina Faso, responsible for Education, Culture, Science and Technology and Allieu Sessay from Sierra Leone, who will handle Finance.

Others are Dr Antoinette Weeks from Liberia, in charge of Infrastructure, Mamadou Traore from Mali, responsible for Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research, Halima Ahmed from Nigeria, with the Political Affairs, Peace and Security portfolio and Laouali Chaïbou from Niger handling Trade, Customs and Free Movement.

The Vice-President, Edward David Singhatey is from the Gambia.

Vice President Singhatey stated this in Abuja on the 31^st of May 2016 at an interactive session with selected young media practitioners who were at the ECOWAS Commission for the Get to Know ECOWAS Programme. He urged the journalists on the need to be alive to trans-national issues of the co-existence of states, also charged them to be more forceful in the reportage of the integration agenda of the regional organization.

Intimating the journalists with some of the strides made by ECOWAS even as the organization is on the verge of rolling out more programmes geared towards effective integration, he cited the ECOWAS biometric card system, trans-national road and rail infrastructure, trade liberalization and greater cooperation and understanding among contiguous states as some of examples in this regard. 

Vice President Singhatey then fielded questions from journalists on a cross section of issues including the procedure of bringing up cases at the ECOWAS court of justice, institutional reforms, the conditions that warrants ECOWAS’ intervention in member states at periods of political turmoil, the various programmes aimed at poverty reduction in the region as well as the collaboration with the development partners.

The journalists were also put through a variety of trainings with a study tour of the Nigerian National Communications Commission (NCC) for an exposition on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a means of integrating people across West Africa, digitization, Internet access and penetration, development of ICT Policy as well as postal and telecommunications issues

Specifically, the NCC’s Departmental Directors supported the Head, Human Capital Mr. Mathew Maganda, to give presentations on the dynamics and challenges in regulating the telecoms industry, the role of corporate law and strategy, licensing procedure as well as the role of the NCC in the enhancement of the ICT landscape in Nigeria, among others.