Peace, stability, integration dominate summit

Decisions aimed at enhancing peace, stability and regional integration were among the results of the 25th ordinary summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which ended on Friday in Dakar, Senegal, an ECOWAS source told IRIN. The West African leaders condemned the activities of illegal armed groups, particularly those operating within the Mano River Union (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone). They expressed support for the work of UN humanitarian agencies in the region, but called on the entire international community to contribute to bringing peace to West Africa, and in particular conflict countries, the source added. They also approved the formation of a second West African Monetary zone that will include Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Its currency will be issued and regulated by a new institution, the West African Central Bank, whose capitalisation has set been at US $100 million. The five-country zone, which could later include Liberia and Cape Verde, will take effect in 2003. In 2004, ECOWAS plans to merge this new monetary area with the existing CFA zone and create a single currency. [The CFA (Communaute francoafricaine) zone comprises the region's former French colonies except Guinea.] The organisation will later choose a name for the new currency to be issued by the West African Central Bank and eventually for the region-wide currency. Other key decisions related to the election of the ECOWAS executive secretariat, which will now be headed by Mohamed Ibn Chambas of Ghana. Chambas, who replaced Guinea's Lansana Kouyate, can serve up to two four-year terms. The summit, which opened on Thursday, also nominated President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal as ECOWAS's new chairman. He replaces Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare. Ten of the organisation's 15 heads of states attended the conference. Others member countries were represented by foreign ministers and other high-ranking officials. ECOWAS comprises Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.