WACSOF wants to assure HE Mr. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the willingness of the West African Civil Society Forum to help him to transform ECOWAS to become an ECOWAS of the people.

Our thanks to HE Mr. Mahamadou Issoufou, president of Niger for his excellent report as the head of the organization.

Le FOSCAO et toute la société civile de l’afrique de l’ouest reste disposée à aider sem Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo pour transformer la cedeao en une cedeao des peuples.

Nos remerciements à sem Mahamadou Issoufou pour son excellent bilan à la tête de l’organisation.

During our webinar on Mitigating Gendered Impact of Covid-19 and Implememting the ECOWAS Child Policy panelists from ECOWAS, WACSOF-FOSCAO, YOCEL, GENCED and a Gender Expert were present to share their bit during the webinar.

Below are some of the excerpts from the panelists as relates to efforts at mitigigating gendered impact of the Covid-19. The efforts of the ECOWAS implementing the ECOWAS Child Policy, as well as challenges identified along with other good practices being implemented in some countries during the pandemic.

THE MILITARY COUP IN MALI

WACSOF CONDEMNS THE MILITARY COUP,

CALLS FOR A RETURN TO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE WITH CIVILIANS,

AND

CALLS ON ECOWAS TO BETTER CONNECT WITH CITIZENS AND TO ENSURE THE RESPECT OF THE RULES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRACY

19TH AUGUST 2020, ABUJA: The West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) is concerned about the recent coup d’état that occurred on the 18th of August 2020, leading to the resignation of the elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and also dissolving the government and Parliament of the Republic of Mali. While condemning the coup, WACSOF is also concerned about the risk of suffering that the ECOWAS embargo could cause for the Malian people.

CALL TO ACTION:

1. 1. WACSOF condemns any military coup in Africa, in general, and particularly in the ECOWAS region.

2. 2. WACSOF recalls to this effect, the provisions of the Article 1 (e) of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which says “the armed forces must be apolitical and must be under the command of a legally constituted political authority; no serving member of the armed forces may seek to run for elective political”.

3. 3. WACSOF therefore calls for a very fast return to civilian and democratic governance in Mali, to guarantee power for the people and by the people, in strict compliance with the Malian constitution, as well as all applicable laws. WACSOF calls for fast handover of transition orders to civilians for a rapid transition.

4. 4. WACSOF, seeks to remind ECOWAS member states of the absolute need to abide by the democratic laws and regulations on good governance in which they are bound by. Laws such as ‘’the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance’’ and ‘’the African Charter of Democracy, Election and Good Governance (ACDEG)’’ should be respected without any compromise.

5. 5. WACSOF is calling on the ECOWAS Commission and the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS to install a genuine culture of democracy and good governance within ECOWAS member states and to also put to an end, the trend to abuse of power, shrinking civic space, corruption, and the propensity to manipulate constitutions in the search for more than two (2) terms.

6. 6. WACSOF calls on ECOWAS Commission and the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS to endeavor to be better connected to citizens and to actively involve citizens and the civil society in decision making and in dispute resolutions processes. Such an approach will on the one hand ensure that citizens do not feel ignored or excluded, which would reduce frustrations and revolts; and on the other hand, will promote the effectiveness of an ECOWAS OF PEOPLES and not only that of States, as expressed in the ECOWAS VISION 2020.

7. 7. WACSOF also calls on ECOWAS and all stakeholders in the Malian crisis to ensure peace in the Republic of MALI through the peaceful resolution of disputes via mediation, conciliation and facilitation based on dialogue, negotiation, or arbitration.

8. 8. WACSOF invites the ECOWAS Commission and the Authority of Heads of State and government of ECOWAS to review the nature and extent of the sanctions against Mali, to prevent the Malian people from unjustified and unacceptable suffering. Only people who are guilty or complicit in an unconstitutional change of government can and should be subject to sanction, in accordance with the ECOWAS Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and governance.

9. 9. WACSOF is available to contribute alongside ECOWAS and the citizens of Mali and any stakeholder to a rapid return to normal constitutional life, peace, economic development, and social cohesion.

Contacts : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / +234 703 295 4730

ABOUT WACSOF (WEST AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM)

Created in 2003, WACSOF (West African Civil Society Forum) is the umbrella civil society organization in West Africa. WACSOF is the institutionalized channel of dialogue between civil society organizations and ECOWAS. With a national platform in each ECOWAS country and 12 thematic areas, WACSOF empowers, mobilizes and integrates civil society for a prosperous, stable and peaceful Africa. For institutional partners, WACSOF is an excellent channel, a one-stop-shop for systematic engagement of civil society organizations in meaningful ways, for impactful results. www.Wacsof-Foscao.Org  

We hereby invite you to register using this link https://rb.gy/wqyybv to be a part of our Webinar on MITIGATING GENDERED IMPACT OF COVID-19 and IMPLEMENTING THE ECOWAS CHILD POLICY. Coming up on Tuesday the 18th of August, 2020. Time is 1:00pm GMT.

Please note that registration through this link https://rb.gy/wqyybv is the only way you can be confirmed to be part of the webinar.

We look forward seeing present Professionals, Researchers, NGOs, CSOs, ECOWAS member states, and other persons working in the thematic focus of this upcoming webinar. Start registering now.