This Saturday, July 15, 2017, the curtains fell on the citizen summit on the protocol of democracy and good governance. At the initiative of the Social Universities of Togo (UST), this meeting, a first of its kind, brought together civil society organizations, social movements, trade unions and academics from different countries of the West African subregion, namely BENIN, GHANA, NIGERIA, SENEGAL, NIGER, GUINEA, COTE D'IVOIRE ...
To bring together West African social, social and trade union movements around the Protocol of good governance of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) adopted on 21 December 2001 in Dakar, its implementation and the project Reforms to strengthen the rights and legitimate aspirations of the peoples of the community. This was the objective assigned to this major sub-regional meeting which took place from 13 to 15 July at the ECOWAS headquarters in Lomé. For the UST, it is a question of creating a synergy between social movements and West African trade union organizations around the promotion of good governance in the ECOWAS area, to define a common and clear position of civil society on The draft reform of the Good Governance Protocol, to advocate for decision-makers to resume discussions on the reform project in order to arrive at a protocol document that responds to the rights and legitimate aspirations of West Africa.
Indeed, at the opening of this summit, Professor David DOSSEH, Coordinator of the Social Universities of Togo (UST), stressed: «Civil society has not been sufficiently involved in the first, Development of the protocol, and especially in its application. Therefore, the aim of these three days of meetings is first to take ownership of the protocol, to revisit it, to dress it up, and to make proposals to the subregional institution so that this protocol serves even more the interests Of the citizens of the ECOWAS area ".
Spokesman Kodjo MAHOULE, President of the Collective of Associations Against Impunity in Togo (CACIT), in his introductory remarks: "It is time for West African civil society to organize itself, Commits itself alongside the States in order to overcome the challenges linked to the proper functioning of ECOWAS and the strengthening of democracy in the subregion ".
The ECOWAS, supported by the European Union (EU) and ECOWAS, has focused on the implementation and future of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel DE SOUZA, Ambassador Permanent Representative of ECOWAS to Togo, Garba LOMPO, Ambassador Head of the EU Delegation to Togo, Nicolas BERLANGA MARTINEZ, the leaders of the political parties, including Opposition Leader Jean-Pierre FABRE and the members of the Group of 6. Unanimously, these personalities welcomed in turn this initiative of the Social Universities of Togo and Have recognized the relevance.
On the agenda of the three days of work, several panels were held on: good governance: a reliable vector for development, good governance and citizenship: the role of African civil societies, focus on the ECOWAS good governance protocol: Is it? The army and the security forces in a democratic state, For free and transparent elections, new media and their contribution to the promotion of governance in Africa, strengthening social dialogue, social protection and CSR in industries Extractives and good governance and inclusive growth for social cohesion. In addition, committee work was organized to allow participants to propose amendments to the Protocol. The recommendations in terms of amendment of the protocol in the form of a declaration of the citizen summit of Lomé will be handed over in the coming days to the representative of the sub-regional institution and the authorities of the country.
It should be remembered that the Social Universities of Togo is a young group formed in October 2016. It is part of the new generation of African social and civic movements whose aim is to revitalize citizen participation and control of public action. It is made up of trade union organizations with committed citizens, members of the diaspora and civil society organizations, including CACIT, which actively participated in organizing and running the summit.
CACIT / Josiane GNANDE
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