By Jacqueline Lucia Dennis
The delocalized meeting of the Joint Committee of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) began on Tuesday, July 25, in the country and is expected to end on July 29, 2023.
The meeting is part of ECOWAS’ regular work program for which Liberia was selected to be the host for 2023. It was been organized under the theme: “Enhancing Political Inclusivity in the Participatory Governance Process: A Mechanism for promoting Peace and Security.”
Member countries were in attendance, including the committees on; Political Affairs, Peace Security, Judicial Affairs and Human Rights, Social Affairs, Gender, and Women Empowerment.
At the start of the opening on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Congotown, Vice-President Jewel Howard Taylor said the hosting of the meeting of the Fifth ECOWAS Parliament in Liberia, is not for the time but it is an occasion for many reasons.
Madam Taylor said August 18th, will mark the 20th anniversary of the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Accra, Ghana, where the Government of Liberia, and all of the parties ended the civil war.
The Vice President informed her audience that the anticipation of a free, fair and transparent election is high as the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections approach in Liberia.
She stated that the coming election will be the forth post-conflict Presidential and Legislative Elections and it will be the second completely without peacekeeping mission present and that is an indication of government’s commitment to peace, security, democracy, infrastructure, and development.
She maintained that President George Weah has sustained the peace over these many years and will continue to ensure the social and economic stability of the country, and will continue to fast-track infrastructure development across the nation.
She said much has been done over the past 30 years in the parliament of ECOWAS, including issues of equal participation of both genders. According to her, it is glaring fact that even at the Ecowas parliament, where the mandatory acceptable standard has a minimum of 30% representation of each member state and the current statistics indicate that out of 115 members of parliament, only 21 members are females, a mere 18.26 percent.
VP Taylor praised the Government and people of Sierra Leone for exceeding the 30 percent gender quota.
Speaking earlier, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, said the meeting in Liberia seeks to consolidate good governance, peace, and security among member countries.
Dr. Tunis indicated that is a demonstration of the institution’s openness to the citizens of the region as it provides shared experiences and collaboration with national institutions in the pursuit of the integration objectives of ECOWAS.
The ECOWAS Parliament Speaker further said that it is an opportunity to analyze and make proposals to better understand and control the political, social, and economic development in the region.
River Gee County Senator Conmany Wesseh, who proxied for Senate Pro-Tempore Albert Chie, said the event is taking place at the time Liberia is expected to shortly celebrate 20 years of uninterrupted peace.
He recounted that the 18th of August this 2023 will be historic because it was the day Liberia signed onto the Comprehensive Peace Accord in Accra, Ghana, and the time the country is also celebrating its 176th Independence.
Bomi County Senator Edwin Snowe, who is a member of the ECOWAS Parliament, used the medium to clarify that the meeting has no political intent; but the Parliament’s regular meeting for which Liberia was selected to be the host of the meeting.
