- Nigeria’s Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan has urged the West Africa leaders to block all passages enabling drug trafficking and terrorism.
Addressing the 37th Summit of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Abuja, he pleaded with West Africa leaders to explore ways and means of harnessing their collective energies and in partnership with the international community, to stem drug trafficking and terrorism in the region.
Dr Goodluck also said West Africa felt the full impact of the international financial crisis, and stressed that it was imperative for countries to re-enegise the integration process to arrest the decline in economic growth while tackling the drawbacks in the region.
He also called on the leaders to ensure that the institutions of governance worked in their respective countries to pave the way for governments to deliver on the political gains achieved.
The summit which opened today is expected to discuss among others how the region will resolve the escalating crises affecting countries of the sub-region, like Togo, Niger and Ivory Coast.
The Summit would also discuss the report of last November's meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, as well as review internal activities of the group.
In 2008, some 20 tonnes of cocaine passed through West Africa worth about $1 billion, the United Nations said.
The drugs trade through West Africa grabbed headlines in 2007 after a series of seizures of hundreds of kilos of cocaine were made in the region alongside a spike up in violence.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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