Monrovia – The ECOWAS Parliament has officially opened its second extraordinary session in Monrovia with condemnation on xenophobic attacks carried on against African nationals in South Africa.
The extraordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament is taking place for the first time in Liberia.
Speaking as a guest of honor, President George Weah called for a true spirit of cooperation to tackle the ‘tremendous’ challenges grappling the sub-region and the continent at large.
The ability for the regional parliamentary blog to hold an extraordinary session out of its headquarters in Abuja, he said is the expected outcome of consolidated efforts by the Parliament in achieving its vested interest.
The presence of the Parliament, he added is the realization of the ‘Supplementary Act on Enhancement Powers’ signed by the Authority of Heads of States under the chairmanship of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Moustapha Cissé Lo, stated that Parliament is “extremely concerned and strongly indignant of the resurgence of xenophobic acts of extreme violence in South Africa.”
Mr. Cissé Lo called on the South African authorities to assume their responsibility to protect African nationals from ‘these painful’ acts.
He said: “The ECOWAS Parliament calls on the South African authorities to assume their responsibility by guaranteeing all their foreign nationals the right to life, physical integrity and freedom of movement. We also call on all African States and the African Union to take diligent initiatives to restore peace and security and restore calm in South Africa and all other States.”
At the beginning of this month, riots occurred in the South African cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria leading to the deaths of several people. The riots were xenophobic and carried out by South Africans against migrants from other African countries, most notably Nigeria.
The incident heightened diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and South Africa as the attacks triggered reprisals against South African businesses in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo withdrew from the World Economic Forum that was being held in South Africa and the South African Government closed its diplomatic missions in Lagos and Abuja.
Dozens of Nigerians have let South Africa for fear of their lives.
The incident has since led to a plethora of condemnations from around the continent and the world.
Speaker Cissé Lo called on his colleagues for the events in South Africa to be given special attention as they go about their deliberations because they constitute real threats and serious obstacles to the African integration.
“On behalf of the ECOWAS Parliament, I would like to express our compassion for the victims and their families and firmly condemn these barbaric, untimely acts with disastrous humanitarian, socio-economic and diplomatic consequences. The root causes of this recurrent situation should be studied with a view to reaching a permanent solution.”
Meanwhile, outgoing Speaker Cissé Lo said the closure of Nigerian borders with Benin for more than a month and Niger, most recently, is a hindrance to the achievement of the Community’s main objective of creating a prosperous West African region without borders, where there is peace and harmony.
The closure, he sated, is a threat to the implementation of the protocol on the free movement of persons at a time when it is necessary to step up efforts to effectively remove barriers within the Community.
The harmful effects of this measure, he noted, are observed on both sides. On behalf of the Parliament, he called for compliance with community provisions and reopening of borders as well as a coordinated fight against smuggling in the region.
He thanked President Weah, the Government and people of Liberia for the hospitality being accorded the Parliament.
The event, which is taking place at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town began with a colorful traditional and cultural performance by the Crusader for Peace band led by Ambassador Juli Endee.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Varney A. Sirleaf, along with the Elder Council of Liberia gowned Speaker Cissé Lo, as a friend and citizen of Liberia and conferred on him the name “Manneh.”
This extraordinary session is the fourth of its kind held outside ECOWAS Parliament’s headquarters after those of Lomé, in 2017, Dakar in February 2018 and Abidjan in September 2018.
Meanwhile, key issues to during the extraordinary session include the adoption of the draft Budget of the Parliament for fiscal year 2020, the revision of Rule 13 of the Rules of Procedure of the Fourth Legislature of the Parliament which is devoted to the Inaugural Session, among others.