Tag Archives: ECOWAS

Freetown, Sierra Leone | AFP | The West African bloc ECOWAS declared itself “satisfied” with Sierra Leone’s run-off presidential vote, as vote counting continued Sunday, while noting intimidating levels of security at some polling stations. The second round vote pitted challenger Julius Maada Bio of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s …

Lome, Togo | AFP | Protesters again took to the streets of Togo’s capital Lome on Saturday to demonstrate against the rule of President Faure Gnassingbe, who was in Nigeria chairing a summit of West African leaders. Anti-government marches have been held across the country nearly every week since August, attracting …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | West African leaders on Saturday threatened to slap Guinea-Bissau with sanctions unless the country’s grinding political crisis was resolved within two months. In a summit in Nigeria, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said it was “disappointed with the absence of progress in …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma unlawfully dismissed his vice president after he was expelled from the ruling party, a West African regional court said on Monday. Samuel Sam-Sumana was kicked out of the All People’s Congress (APC) in March 2015 on suspicion of fomenting violence, …

Banjul, Gambia | AFP | The head of a West African force maintaining security in The Gambia told AFP Friday that army officials loyal to veteran former leader Yahya Jammeh were plotting against the new government. West African troops were first sent to The Gambia in January to compel Jammeh to …

Monrovia, Liberia | AFP |  The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said it has extended the mandate of its military mission in The Gambia. The force, consisting mainly of soldiers from neighbouring Senegal, was first sent to the small country in January to compel longstanding president Yahya Jammeh …

Banjul, Gambia | AFP |  A Gambian protester died of gunshot wounds Saturday, the day after being shot as supporters of former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh clashed with West African forces. Gambian information minister, Demba Ali Jawo, told AFP that a group of people had protested on Friday in Jammeh’s …

And why East Africa lost more over outdated voting habits at continental body As the heads of state and government of the African Union meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, started voting on Jan. 30 for the next head of the continental body, Kenya’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amina …

COMMENT: By Chris Saunders & Henning Melber What southern Africa can learn from West Africa about dealing with despots? Has the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) just taught the Southern African Development Community (SADC) a lesson? The West African states effectively took a dictator to task after he …

  Following months of crisis, Gambia’s ruler of 22 years Yahya Jammeh finally left the country on the night of Jan.21. He had earlier refused to concede defeat in a Dec.01 election but eventually relinquished power after members of the West African bloc ECOWAS launched a military operation on him shortly …