A Parliamentary Session focusing on the political and security challenges in West Africa

The Liberian Head of State, Mr. George Weah, presided over the opening of the 2022  First Extraordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) Parliament on Tuesday, 8 March 2022 in Monrovia, the Capital of Liberia. This Session focused mainly on the political and security challenges in West Africa. The commemoration of  the International Women’s Day, in the presence of the former President of Liberia, Helen Johnson Sirleaf,  added more colours to the opening of the Session. 

All the resource persons who made presentations during the opening of this Session made reference to women and their fight for emancipation.   

For instance, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, emphasized on the remarkable role the Community Female Parliamentarians play in the smooth running of this Institution. To participate in this celebration in commemoration of March 8, H.E the Speaker presented flowers and souvenirs to the former President of Liberia.

Speaking on the 2022 celebration to mark the 200th independence anniversary of Liberia, the Speaker of the Community Parliament called on ECOWAS Parliamentarians to continue their quest for freedom and good leadership. 

On her part, Her Excellency, Helen Johnson Sirleaf, bemoaned the persistent discrepancies in ECOWAS countries with regard to Women empowerment and political participation.  Using the statistics gotten from a research conducted by her foundation,  the former President of Liberia called for the implementation of gender balance in ECOWAS Countries.

President Weah, on his part, highlighted the relationship between ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the theme of the Session which focuses on the political and security challenges in West Africa.  According to the Liberian President, a fully integrated and prosperous West African community of people living in freedom, inclusiveness and peace, requires politically stable countries with secure borders.    He therefore reiterated his condemnation of coups d’état and warned that ECOWAS Heads of State will spare no effort to ensure compliance with the Community’s Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.