Welcome address by H.E President John Mahama at the Extraordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government-Accra, Ghana Friday, 30th May 2014 FRIDAY 30 MAY 2014 Excellencies, Presidents and Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, Distinguished Representatives of Heads of State, Excellency, President of the ECOWAS Commission Honourable Commissioners and Officials of the ECOWAS Commission Former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings The Right Honourable Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament Ministers of State Representatives of multilateral and international organisations, Members of the Diplomatic Corps Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen Though the circumstances that have brought us together today are of great concern and urgency, I am nevertheless pleased to welcome you to Accra and to this Extraordinary Session of ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States. The very fact that we are here today to address the grave issues before us, issues that pose a threat to the security and economic stability of two of our member nations, is a testament to our abiding commitment to the objectives and fundamental principles of the ECOWAS Treaty. It is a sign of the ever-increasing strength and unity of the West African sub-region. And it is a message to the world that we will not allow the progress that has been made for the benefit of many to be undermined and derailed by the selfish and destructive interests of a few. It is important for us to recognize that the determination to come together, to stand together, in defence not solely of individual countries but of ourselves as a community, was not borne out of this immediate crisis. This determination has been decades in the making and shaping, in the testing, in the enforcing and reinforcing. Just two days ago, on the 28th of May, we marked the 39th anniversary of the founding of ECOWAS. Even though, in respect and consideration of the continued efforts by various groups to terrorize the citizens of Mali and Nigeria with violence, we decided to mark this anniversary in sobriety, it does not negate or erase the relevance of that landmark. 39 years ago the Heads of State of our member nations gathered together, much as we have gathered together today, and decided that despite everything that had been done to divide the people of this subregion; Despite the artificial boundaries and the imposition of different colonial languages and currencies from one nation to another; despite our own ethnic, cultural and religious differences; Despite all that sought to keep us separate, we would come together and unite. 39 years ago when our member nations chose unity, when they chose integration, they decided to forge our individual directions into one common destiny. That decision has not been without its challenges. When the extended internal conflicts of two member nations threatened to engulf the sub-region in war, we did not stand by idly or wait for intervention from Western nations. We came together and acted in concert to protect our community. We formed ECOMOG, the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group, and ECOMIL, the Economic Community of West African States Mission in Liberia. These peacekeeping efforts were not perfect, but they were productive. Through these efforts, we were able, in both Liberia and Sierra Leone, to initiate the transition towards peace. And we did so as a community. So the determination that we have today is nothing short of an echo of the decision made 39 years ago to unite and integrate, a decision affirmed every single year since then. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, While the determination of ECOWAS to protect the safety and welfare of the people in this sub-region may not be new, the threats we are currently facing and the manner in which they are being waged against us are. Two months ago in the address that I delivered to accept my election as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, I enumerated three primary areas on which I wanted to place the immediate focus of my leadership. I mentioned the Expansion and Rehabilitation of Infrastructure; I mentioned Economic Integration and Development. However, the first area of focus that I mentioned, because I considered it the most urgent and critical, was Peace and Security. My vision is for us to work together to consolidate the peace in Mali, to bring Guinea Bissau back into an era of democracy and prosperity, and to support Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram. Two weeks ago, on May 14th, upon consultation with all members of the Authority of Heads of States and Government, an extraordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Intelligence and Security Services was convened. The communiqué issued at the end of the session poignantly stated that an act of terror against one member state is an act of terror against all member states. Terrorism is not solely a West African problem; it is a world problem. It is, in fact, fast becoming an undeniable part of the world in which we live. To ignore our responsibility for the eradication terrorism is to risk the economic and developmental potential of our individual nations and of the entire sub-region. But far more important than that; it is to risk the lives of our citizens. Other world nations have offered support in different forms, and we welcome that support. Many of these terrorist groups and cells are working together, however loosely. They exchange information, share resources, and offer one another shelter and protection. So why, then, must we work alone? In order to successfully fight this scourge of terrorism, we must avail ourselves of any and all assistance that is offered. We must also share information and resources, and we must, as members of a community, offer one another the shelter and protection that comes with solidarity. We must act, and we must put in place measures that make clear that we will not allow any of our countries to be used to destabilize other nations—in this sub-region or outside of it. We must also take into consideration the changing demographics of our sub-region. Our population is increasing astronomically. We have a growing youth bulge. We are not creating jobs fast enough to absorb the growing numbers of graduating youth. Our social interventions and safety nets are not sufficient to cushion the poor and the vulnerable. In many of our countries the fruits of accelerated economic growth are not being spread equitably amongst our people. This is a tinderbox with a potential to elevate social tensions in our sub-region, it’s a powder keg with a potential to threaten the peace and security of our sub-region. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, We are here today to form solutions, to determine optimal courses of action to address the challenges we face. We are here today to decide, as a unified community, the best way forward because West Africa is our home. As such, ECOWAS must play a leading role in this effort to fully restore peace and security to the sub region and by so doing, safeguard our future and all of the work that we, as heads of state and as citizens, have done to ensure that our nations are prosperous. I am grateful to all of you for your attendance and participation today and for your unwavering commitment to this community. I am grateful to all of you my brothers and sister, for the support, advice and encouragement that you have offered and continue to offer me in the short time since I took the chair of the Authority of Heads of State. I believe that working together in a spirit of fraternity and comradeship. We will be able to overcome any challenges that stand in the way of ensuring a stable and prosperous future for our people. I thank all of you for your kind attention.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Jun 2014 08:44:57 +0000
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