By Melvin Tejan Mansaray
1. OVERVIEW
Members of the Fifteen-Member, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament are presently meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja in fulfilment of their statutory mandate.
Dedou P. HEMOU, Secretary General of the ECOWAS Parliament disclosed that the Parliament will host its 2026 First Ordinary from 4th to 16th May, 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The ECOWAS Parliament was established in 2000 as a legislative assembly and consultative body of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The ECOWAS Parliament used to originally consist of 115 members, representing all 15 member states.
It aim is to enhance regional integration, strengthening representative democracy, promoting peace, stability, and human rights within West Africa.
The subregional block faced threats of disintegration when in early 2025, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger formally withdrew from the ECOWAS following military coups.
2. WHAT ARE THE SESSIONS OF THE ECOWAS PARLIAMENT?
Protocol A/P2/8/94 Relating to the Community Parliament, Article 13 (Sessions of Parliament ) states that:
“1. ORDINARY SESSIONS
{a) Sessions shall cover a maximum period of
three months during which the Parliament shall
sit.
Parliament shall meet at least twice a year
in Ordinary Session.
Sessions shall be convened by the Bureau, subject to the provisions
of Article 14 of this Protocol.
(b) Conduct of Ordinary Sessions of Parliament
shall be governed by the Rules of Procedure.
2. EXTRAORDINARY SESSIONS
(a) Parliament may also meet in Extra-ordinary
Session to discuss a specific agenda:
— either at the initiative of the current Chairman of the Authority;
— or at the express request in writing of an
absolute majority of Members addressed to
the Speaker.
(b) Conduct of Extra-ordinary Session of Parliament shall be governed by the Rules of Procedure.
These sessions shall end once the agenda
is exhausted.
“These engagements enabled us to grasp local realities, listen to stakeholders, and prepare a coordinated parliamentary response.
The reports from the meetings will be presented for your consideration and adoption during this Session,” Hon. Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, President of the ECOWAS Parliament said in her Opening Address.