The Gambia Sides with ECOWAS in Maintaining Constitutional Order in the Sub-region
State House, Banjul, 30thJuly 2023:H.EPresidentAdamaBarrow Sunday 30 July,joinedfellow HeadsofStateatanExtra-OrdinarySessioninAbuja,Nigeria,ontheSituationinNiger,wherethemilitaryrecentlyoverthrewademocraticallyelectedPresident.
TheGambiaPresidentnotedwithconcerntherecenttrendofmilitarytakeoversintheECOWASregion,threateningnationalandregionalpeace,stabilityanddevelopment.HecalledontheregionalorganisationtoworkontheirearlierrecommendationsforaStandbyForce,and enhancedialoguethroughdiplomacyandgoodneighbourlinessforthestatesandtheirpeoples.
TheECOWASblock,untilrecently,stabilisedondemocraticgovernanceandbecameabeaconofhopeforthecontinent,experiencingcountriestransitioningfromonedemocraticgovernmenttoanother.ThesuccessfulelectionsinthevariouscountrieshavegivenhopetothecitizensofECOWASthatwithstability,goodgovernance,socio-economicdevelopmentwouldbefast-tracked.
TheAbujaSummitwasarenewalofhopeforthecitizensoftheblock,commitmenttotheruleoflawandupholdingofgoodgovernancethroughconstitutionalism.TheECOWASProtocolonGoodGovernancealreadysetthepaceformemberstatestofocusondemocraticprocesses.
TheChairman of the ECOWAS Authority,H.EBolaAhmedTinubu,inafrankremarkattheopeningoftheSummit,saidthepresenceisrespectfordemocracyandmustshowacommitmentthat“withoutfreedomanddemocracytherecan’tbeanydevelopment.TheremustbeastrongacttoprotectthelifeofH.EBozzoumandmakesureheissafeanddemocracyisrestoredintheRepublicofNiger.Nomoretimetosend awarningsignal;itistimeforAction”
The Final Communique affrims that H.E President Mohamed Bazoum remains the legitimate elected President of The Republic of Niger recognised by ECOWAS, AU and the International Community.
DetailsfromtheAbujameetingareinaCommuniquereleasedbytheECOWASCommission.
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