By Ebi Kesiena
As part of its annual work programme, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Court of Justice, is set to hold its international conference in Banjul, the Gambia, with the theme ECOWAS’ Zero Tolerance for Unconstitutional Change of Government.
In a statement made available to the media on Monday, ECOWAS explained that the 2023 conference will provide an opportunity for the Community Court to address urgent and grave issue of concern in the ECOWAS Community legal landscape, particularly in the last two years that has seen the unconstitutional changes of governments in the Republics of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Also, it will focus on the need for participatory democracy and constitutional order in all ECOWAS Member States, against the backdrop of the regional policy of Zero Tolerance for Unconstitutional Change of Government.
Furthermore, the statement notes that Participants at the conference will examine the linkages with the rule of law, the duty of Member States to respect, protect and fulfil human rights in their territories; the underlying factors for political instability, terrorism and insecurity in the region, failure by Member States to fulfil their obligations to ECOWAS, weak institutions of Member States, as well as the lack of political will for the implementation of community obligations.
Other areas of focus include, examining the mandates of the Court in facilitating the integration process of the Community and holding Member States accountable for their Treaty obligations, the roles of the national courts of Member States and the ECOWAS Court of Justice in upholding and sustaining the rule of law among others.
‘‘Another significant linkage the conference will examine is the roles of the national courts of Member States and the ECOWAS Court of Justice in upholding and sustaining the rule of law and constitutional democracy in the region.
‘’About 200 people, mainly jurists, members of the academia and students will participate in the 2023 international conference scheduled to commence on the 22nd of May and end on the 25th of May, 2023,’’ the statement read.
