The Association of Mediators of Member Countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (AMP-UEMOA) is holding an extraordinary general meeting in Lomé to adopt its 2023-2027 strategic plan with regard to the security situation in the Sahel and West Africa. The idea is to design approaches to solutions for actions to be taken. It was the Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Territorial Development, Mr. Payadowa Boukpessi, who opened the proceedings, in the presence of his colleague from Security and Civil Protection, Gal Damehame Yark, representatives of international organizations and various other personalities.
Faced with the security situation in the sub-region, the Association of Mediators of the member countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (AMP-UEMOA) intends to acquire new means, take new initiatives with, in particular, the development of a 2023-2027 strategic plan. This justifies the extraordinary general assembly that it has been holding since yesterday at the February 2 hotel in Lomé. This three-day meeting will be an opportunity for participants to reflect on the security situation in space, through a conference on the theme: “Inventory of the security situation in the WAEMU space: what approaches for mediators “. It will also be a question of amending, finalizing and adopting the strategic plan.
It is important to carry out appropriate actions aimed at the eradication of the evil
Opening the proceedings, the Minister of State in charge of Territorial Administration, Mr. Payadowa Boukpessi noted that, in recent years, the regional area has experienced security instability linked to the proliferation of terrorist movements which sow terror and the desolation within the peaceful populations in the Sahel and in the sub-region. Unfortunately, Togo, like the other countries on the West African coast, is not spared, even if the country enjoys relative stability, thanks to the pragmatism of the high authorities who have placed the security issue at the heart of the national and international politics. To this end, he hailed the commitment of the security and defense forces of the States who are on watch, day and night, to protect citizens and borders against this common enemy. Faced with this constant threat, the Minister confided, it is important to carry out appropriate actions aimed at eradicating the evil. This, in order to bring the civilian population, potential target of terrorist organizations, to love the homeland and to truly commit to peace and security, in order to contribute to the realization of the vision of the Heads of State. That of making the sub-region a secure and prosperous space. The Togolese government fits perfectly into this vision and intends to create a secure national environment, in order to participate in the concerted efforts to fight against terrorism. “This objective can only truly be achieved if our fellow citizens appropriate and live the republican values, which include, among others, peace, non-violence, dialogue, a culture of excellence, respect for the law, the authority and the institutions of the Republic, to name but a few “, he said. This meeting is one of the initiatives aimed at meeting this challenge and this is why the Minister congratulated AMP-UEMOA, which for more than 15 years has been actively contributing to the rule of law, good governance and to regional integration.
Carry out relevant reflections on the major issues and challenges
The resident representative of UEMOA in Togo, Ms. Aminata Lo Paye, noted that this meeting has a double importance. It allows, on the one hand, to carry out relevant reflections on the major issues and challenges with which the community space has been confronted in recent years. On the other hand, it is part of the course of the major integration project initiated by WAEMU, particularly on the thorny issue relating to the good governance of States. “The AMP-UEMOA, by equipping itself, at the end of these meetings, with a strategic plan, therefore intends to better project the association in the community institutional landscape, with an impact in all the member countries. It thus aims to strengthen its role and place, with a view to protecting users, contributing to free movement and promoting the rule of law. “, she added.
For the Mediator of Togo, President of AMP-UEMOA, Ms. Awa Nana Daboya, mediators have the role and the responsibility to use their faculties and capacities to support leaders in achieving the unifying objective. ” Today, while this furrow that it has traced tends to confer on it a status, a place and a role in the UEMOA space, with a view to participating in the construction of the great integration project, more and more new challenges arise and seem to require a greater and recurring involvement of our association “, she noted.
Wink at the AMP-UEMOA
Created in 2008, the Association of Mediators of the Member Countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (AMP-UEMOA) continues to contribute to the deepening of the rule of law, the promotion of good governance and regional integration, through the development of relations between institutions. The WAEMU-AMP appears as a lever on which the WAEMU Commission could rely, with the effect of enforcing community standards by and in the member countries. Also, the mediators of the UEMOA space now intend to work, more generally, for the advent of a peaceful and sustainable climate in West Africa, by bringing their contributions to the resolution of security crises and the social divide. which impact the countries of space.
Melissa BATABA