The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) wishes to congratulate President John Dramani Mahama on his election as Chairman of the ECOWAS. We are also gratified by the President’s decision to prioritise regional peace and security during his tenure as Chair of the regional group.
 
There is no doubt that peace and security are among the major challenges facing the region. However, what needs to be recognised is that the challenges of peace and security are to a large extent, the manifestation or results of fundamental problems of bad governance and human rights violations.
 
In specific terms, there continue to be significant violations and repression of the most fundamental of all rights – right to free expression.  In many of the countries in the region, voices of dissent are censored or muted; citizens’ demand for accountability are equated to acts of rebellion and are not tolerated; and opportunities for active citizens’ participation in governance processes remain limited.
 
Other problems that underlie the region’s peace and security challenges are the continued marginalisation of sections of society, dissipation of state resources, and massive corruption in high offices amidst high levels of poverty among the citizenry.

                             
The MFWA, therefore, wishes to draw the new ECOWAS Chairman’s attention to the fact that such restrictions and violations of the fundamental rights of citizens, abuse of state resources, acts of injustice and corruption perpetrated by leaders, are among the root causes of the conflicts and the other acts of instability in the region. A serious attempt at dealing with the current conflict and security challenges should, therefore, have a greater focus on tackling these root causes.
 
Dealing with the current problems requires the creation or promotion of an environment that advances freedom of expression, fosters citizens’ participation in governance, ensures rule of law and justice, and advances transparency and accountability in governance.

Promoting peace and security in the region also requires the strengthening of certain key organs of the ECOWAS itself. One of such organs is the Community Court of Justice. The effectiveness and usefulness of the Court as a major institution for the advancement of justice, rule of law and human rights, is continuously undermined by the many instances of non-compliance of its judgements by offending governments of member states. 

Fortunately, the necessary conditions required for promoting and protecting the peace and stability of the region have all been captured in various protocols and frameworks of the ECOWAS. These include the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the Conflict Prevention Framework. What is left therefore is the implementation and enforcement of these relevant protocols and frameworks.

As a regional organisation that works to promote and defend freedom of expression rights for democratic development, the MFWA assures President Mahama of its support and co-operation in the implementation of his vision for the ECOWAS region. The organisation will also continue to work closely with the ECOWAS Commission to advance peace, security and regional integration especially through the media.