The President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Dr. Alieu Omar Touray Wednesday called for a re-think and re-commitment to the values of the regional body.
Touray gave this charge at the opening of 53rd Meeting of the Mediation and Security Council of the ECOWAS Commission.
The meeting which is holding in Abuja is being chaired by Nigeria Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar.
Touray said the meeting is meant to help tighten the loose ends as it is also futuristic.
ECOWAS Commission President also lamented the fragmentation of the regional body following an official request by three members to pull out.
He said the move by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic remains a blight to the success of the regional body which would be marking its 50th anniversary next year.
Touray stressed the need for all member states to uphold rule of law, constitutionalism and progressive improvement of governance.
He said: “It is therefore time for a re-think and re-commitment to our community values. That is why we proposed the Summit of the Future. It is time to tighten the lose-ends to protect our people, our institutions, and our way of life, and strengthen trust and confidence of our people in state and regional institutions.
“I remain confident that your deliberations will contribute to informed conclusions and constructive recommendations for the consideration of the Authority.”
The issues to be considered by the meeting include: the Security Situation in the Region, the establishment of a Special Tribunal in The Gambia for the Prosecution of Perpetrators of Gross Human Rights Violations, the Humanitarian Situation in the Region, the Establishment of National Early Warning and Response Centres
