The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to hold a high-level parliamentary Seminar on 20 years of Democratic Elections in West Africa.
The seminar is taking place in Ghana’s coastal city of Winneba from October 13 to 22, 2021.
The theme of the event is: “Evaluating Two Decades Of Democratic Elections In The ECOWAS Region: Achievements, Challenges And The Way Forward.”
The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo who is the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, is expected to attend this important meeting where he will deliver the opening address.
The objective of the seminar is ‘to assess the electoral systems in the ECOWAS Member States to identify the challenges and proffer solutions to the shortcomings in the organization of elections.’
After several decades of democratic system practice based on elections and multiparty politics, the issue of level of consolidation of democracy has remained unanswered, given the political and institutional instability, observed in many countries of the region.
It is within this context that the ECOWAS Parliament, a platform of dialogue, consultation, and promotion of democracy in ECOWAS Member States, is organising this high-level seminar.
Academics, experts in political science and electoral systems, as well as Media professionals will animate the various panels, which will be moderated by the former President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Mohammed Chambas.
The seminar will be followed by the 2021 Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, from 18 to 22 October 2021, also in Winneba.
The session will mainly focus on the consideration and adoption of the draft of the 2022 budget of the Community Parliament.
The ECOWAS Parliament is composed of 115 seats of parliamentarians from member countries.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
