ECOWAS Court of Justice
Photo: politicsnigeria
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice is set to hold a conference to address unconstitutional change of government in some member states.
The conference, scheduled to hold in Banjul, The Gambia, has as its theme “ECOWAS’ Zero Tolerance for Unconstitutional Change of Government”.
It will provide an opportunity for the court to address the urgent and grave issues of concern in the ECOWAS community legal landscape, particularly in the last two years, that has seen the unconstitutional change of government in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
It will also 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.
The more than 200 participants, mainly jurists, members of the academia and students at the conference will examine the linkages with the rule of law; the duty of member states to respect, protect and fulfill human rights in their territories; the underlying factors for political instability, terrorism and insecurity in the region; failure by member states to fulfill 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.
Writing by Idara Ukpayang; Editing by Oluwaseyi Ajibade and Tony Okerafor