Latest news with #Touray
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jihadist violence and coups test West Africa ECOWAS bloc at 50
LAGOS (Reuters) -The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) faces growing threats of terrorism, climate change, military coups, and poverty, its most senior official said on Wednesday as leaders marked 50 years since the bloc's formation in Nigeria. Jihadist violence has surged this year in Nigeria and the Sahel region, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger - nations that have recently seceded from ECOWAS in protest over sanctions following military coups. "We are confronting the greatest challenges we face today, terrorism, climate change and unconstitutional change of government, poverty and economic disparities," ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray said, expressing confidence in overcoming the challenges. Established on May 28, 1975, ECOWAS aimed to promote regional economic integration, security cooperation, human rights, and democratic governance. However, five decades later, military juntas in founding member states Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have disassociated from the bloc, saying it no longer serves their interests. The countries have formed their own Alliance of Sahel States and a confederation, cut military and diplomatic ties with Western powers and sought closer cooperation with Russia. Touray said ECOWAS would continue trying to cooperate with the three countries. Security and political analysts said curbing insecurity was crucial for ECOWAS to fulfill its promise of prosperity and lift millions from poverty. Beverly Ochieng, senior analyst at Control Risk in Dakar, Senegal, said: "If you don't have security, then of course it means that you cannot guarantee a robust economy in the region." Analysts also criticized ECOWAS for its silence when leaders controversially amend constitutions to extend their rule, leading to citizens applauding military coups. They cited the recent example of Togo's leader Faure Gnassingbe, who was granted the influential new role of President of the Council of Ministers with no fixed term limit - a move opposition parties labelled a constitutional coup potentially extending his rule indefinitely.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Jihadist violence and coups test West Africa ECOWAS bloc at 50
LAGOS, May 28 (Reuters) - The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) faces growing threats of terrorism, climate change, military coups, and poverty, its most senior official said on Wednesday as leaders marked 50 years since the bloc's formation in Nigeria. Jihadist violence has surged this year in Nigeria and the Sahel region, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger - nations that have recently seceded from ECOWAS in protest over sanctions following military coups. "We are confronting the greatest challenges we face today, terrorism, climate change and unconstitutional change of government, poverty and economic disparities," ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray said, expressing confidence in overcoming the challenges. Established on May 28, 1975, ECOWAS aimed to promote regional economic integration, security cooperation, human rights, and democratic governance. However, five decades later, military juntas in founding member states Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have disassociated from the bloc, saying it no longer serves their interests. The countries have formed their own Alliance of Sahel States and a confederation, cut military and diplomatic ties with Western powers and sought closer cooperation with Russia. Touray said ECOWAS would continue trying to cooperate with the three countries. Security and political analysts said curbing insecurity was crucial for ECOWAS to fulfill its promise of prosperity and lift millions from poverty. Beverly Ochieng, senior analyst at Control Risk in Dakar, Senegal, said: "If you don't have security, then of course it means that you cannot guarantee a robust economy in the region." Analysts also criticized ECOWAS for its silence when leaders controversially amend constitutions to extend their rule, leading to citizens applauding military coups. They cited the recent example of Togo's leader Faure Gnassingbe, who was granted the influential new role of President of the Council of Ministers with no fixed term limit - a move opposition parties labelled a constitutional coup potentially extending his rule indefinitely.
France 24
21-05-2025
- Business
- France 24
No existential crisis despite Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger's exit, ECOWAS commission president says
Africa 12:31 Issued on: From the show Despite Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso's exit from ECOWAS, Commission President Omar Alieu Touray told FRANCE 24 that he remains hopeful West Africa will stay united. He highlighted the bloc's success in creating "a single market for 400 million people" over 50 years. While acknowledging challenges, Touray emphasised that ECOWAS leaders will 'keep the door open' to the three countries, even after the July deadline for potential re-entry. Touray also dismissed claims by the juntas that France controls West African union and discussed progress on a regional counter-terrorism force, with member states preparing to contribute troops and funds, with talks scheduled for mid-June.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mother, son killed in crash on Mother's day
An Ohio mother and her young son died in a crash on Mother's Day. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 25-year-old Aisha Trawally of Columbus was a passenger in a vehicle traveling on I-70 in Claysville, Pennsylvania, about 45 minutes from the Ohio border, our news partners at WBNS-10 TV reported. A 4-year-old boy, Abdul-Salami Touray, was in the backseat of the vehicle, according to a release from the Washington County Coroner obtained by WBNS-10 TV. TRENDING STORIES: Winning Megamillions ticket sold in Ohio UPDATE: Thousands still without power as severe storms move through Careflight responds to crash in Clark County Trawally and Touray were mother and son, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. The vehicle crossed a median and collided with a semitruck, WBNS-10 TV reported. Trawally was pronounced dead at the scene, and Touray was flown to UPMC Washington Hospital and pronounced dead. The driver of the vehicle was flown to a Pittsburgh-area hospital, WBNS-10 TV reported. The coroner's report stated that Trawally was not weaing a seatbelt and Touray was not in a child seat. The crash remains under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Zawya
12-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) Strengthen Partnership to Foster Economic Resilience and Sustainable Growth
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration aimed at promoting economic resilience, enhancing financial governance, and driving sustainable growth across the West African region. A high-level delegation from WAIFEM, led by the Director General, Dr. Baba Yusuf Musa, paid a courtesy visit to the ECOWAS Commission and was warmly received by the President of ECOWAS, His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu Touray. The meeting underscored the shared vision of both institutions to foster a more prosperous and integrated West Africa. During their discussions, the leaders emphasized the importance of amplifying collective efforts to strengthen financial governance and build economic resilience in the face of global and regional challenges. Both organizations pledged to work closely on capacity building, policy harmonization, and knowledge sharing to support the sustainable development agenda of the region. 'We recognize the vital role of collaboration in achieving our shared goals for West Africa's economic stability and growth,' said Dr. Touray. 'Our partnership with WAIFEM will enhance our ability to address financial and economic challenges and pave the way for a more integrated and prosperous region.' Dr. Touray also reaffirmed that the 2027 launch date for ECOWAS's single currency, the 'ECO,' remains sacrosanct. He emphasized that not all member states need to meet the convergence criteria before the launch, drawing parallels with the European Union's approach to the Euro. 'Let's move ahead, and others will meet up,' he stated. Dr. Musa echoed this sentiment, highlighting WAIFEM's commitment to providing training, technical assistance, and research to strengthen economic management and financial governance. 'By working hand-in-hand with ECOWAS, we can harness our collective expertise to drive impactful initiatives that benefit the entire region,' he said. Dr. Musa announced WAIFEM's plan to propose an MoU with ECOWAS to formalize their collaboration and strengthen the human and institutional capacities of member states. Key areas of focus include governance, fiscal policy, debt management, regional integration, financial sector stability, and macroeconomic management. WAIFEM has already played a vital role in regional economic initiatives, notably developing the ECOMAC database for monitoring macroeconomic convergence. WAIFEM has played a pivotal role in supporting regional economic initiatives in collaboration with ECOWAS, notably in developing the multilateral Surveillance Database (ECOMAC), a crucial tool for monitoring macroeconomic convergence in the region. The pursuit of the ECO currency represents a transformative initiative poised to redefine the economic landscape of West Africa. Its successful adoption requires strong macroeconomic convergence, robust monetary policy frameworks, and institutional preparedness. WAIFEM stands ready to support ECOWAS through specialized training and technical assistance for policymakers. This renewed partnership marks a significant step toward aligning efforts to foster sustainable economic development and integration across West Africa. ECOWAS and WAIFEM remain dedicated to building a robust and resilient economic framework that supports the aspirations of the region's people.
