Vol. 33 
of the Economic Community of 
West African States (ECOWAS) 
English Edition August 1997 
CONTENTS PAGE 
DECISIONS 
OF THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT 
1 On the granting of observer status to the Study Group for Research on 
Democracy and Economic and Social Development in Africa ( G E R D E S ) . 3 
2 Establ ish ing the E C O W A S Order of Merit and the appointment of 
E C O W A S Goodwil l Ambassadors. 4 
3. Launching the second E C O W A S Telecommunications Priority Programme 
(INTELCOMII) 6 
4 Establishing an Ad-Hoc Monitoring Committee for the creation of a Single 
Monetary Zone by the year 2000. 9 
5. Relating to the Study on Enhancing the Financial Resources of the 
E C O W A S Fund. 11 
6 On the loan agreement between the Executive Secretariat and the 
Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the Construction of 
staff residential accommodation in Abuja. 12 
7. Extending the scope of activity and mandate of E C O M O G to cover Sierra 
Leone. 13 
8 On sanction against the illegal regime in Sierra Leone 14 
9. Extending the tenor of the E C O W A S Ceasef i re monitoring group in 
Liberia 16 
10 Relating to the renewal of the terms of office of Akintola Wil l iams and 
Company as external auditors to the community institutions 17 
11 Relating to the lifting of the sanctions and embargo against Liberia. 18 
12 Relating to the frequency and venues of E C O W A S meetings 19 
13 On the Award of the E C O W A S Prize for Excellence 20 
August 1997 Official Journal ol ECOWAS Vol. 33 
14. Relat ing to the re-allocation of the post of Executive Secretary to the 
Republ ic of Guinea and the appointment of Mr. Lansana Kouyate as the 
Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States 
(ECOWAS) . 21 
RESOLUTIONS 
OF THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT 
1. On the urgent application of the Community Levy. 22 
2. Relating to Prevention and Control of Drug Abuse in West Africa. 23 
REGULATIONS 
OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
1. Relating to the Restructuring of the Fund. 36 
2 Authorising the Recruitment of three Interpreters and a Cost 
Accountant for the E C O W A S Fund. 39 
3. Relating to the regularisation of the administrative situation of 
Accounting Clerks " G 3 " recruited before November, 1991. 40 
4. On the financing of drug control activities. 40 
5. Relating to the condition for the payment of a subsidy to the E C O W A S 
National Units. 41 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
1. On the establishment of an Ad-Hoc Monitoring Committee for the 
Creation of a Single Monetary Zone by the year 2000. 43 
2. Relating to the Enhancement of the financial resources of the E C O W A S 
Fund. 43 
3. On the second E C O W A S Telecommunications Priority Programme 
(INTELCOMII). 44 
4. Relating to the prevention and control of Drug Abuse in West Africa. 45 
5. On the Award of the E C O W A S Prize for Excel lence. 45 
6. On the urgent application of the Community Levy. 46 
FINAL COMMUNIQUE 
1 Nineteenth session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, 
Abuja, 26th - 27th, July 1996. 47 
1 
Augusl 1997 Official Journal ot ECOWAS Vol, 33 
DECISION A/DEC/.1/8/97 ON GRANTING OF 
OBSERVER STATUS TO THE STUDY GROUP FOR 
RESEARCH ON DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC 
AND SOCIAL D E V E L O P M E N T IN AFRICA 
(GERDES) 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Article 61 of the Revised Treaty by 
which Member States undertake to mobilise the 
various sections of the population in order to ensure 
their effective participation and involvement in the 
activities of the Community, 
M I N D F U L of Decis ion A / D E C . 9 / 8 / 9 4 dated 6th 
August, 1994 of the Authority of Heads of State 
and Government establishing Regulations for the 
grant ing to N o n - G o v e r n m e n t a l Organ isa t ions 
(NGOs) the status of Observer within the Institutions 
of the Community; 
MINDFUL of the E C O W A S Declaration of Political 
Pr inc ip les adopted in Abu ja on 6th July, 1991 
whereby the Heads of State expressed their aim of 
achieving and promoting economic cooperation and 
integration within a political environment of peace, 
security and stability, 
DESIRING to ensure effective implementation of the 
E C O W A S Declaration of Political Principles; 
A W A R E of the need to encourage non-partisan 
o rgan i sa t i ons w h o s e a im is to p romote and 
consolidate the principles of democracy; 
A C K N O W L E D G I N G that the Study Group for 
Research on Democracy and Economic and Social 
Development in Afr ica ( G E R D E S ) in promoting 
through its activities, a culture of democracy in 
Africa; 
CONSIDERING Recommendation C/REC.1/11/96 of 
the fortieth session of the Counci l of Ministers held 
in Lome from 21st to 22nd November, 1996, 
DECIDES 
Art ic le 1 
The Study Group for Research on Democracy and 
E c o n o m i c and S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t in A f r i ca 
( G E R D E S ) is hereby granted within the Institutions 
of the Economic Community of West African States, 
the status of observer in category "A". 
Article 2 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
3 
August 1997 Official Journal ot ECOWAS Vol 33 
DECISION A/DEC/.2/8/97 ESTABLISHING THE 
E C O W A S O R D E R OF MERIT AND T H E 
APPOINTMENT OF E C O W A S GOODWILL 
AMBASSADORS 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Art icles 7, 8 and 9 of the Rev ised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Decision C/DEC.9/12/94 of the Council 
of M i n i s t e r s a d o p t i n g the E C O W A S Pr ior i ty 
Programme of Action on Information which inter-
a l ia , ca l l ed for the ins t i tu t iona l isa t ion of the 
E C O W A S Order of Merit and the appointment of 
E C O W A S Goodwil l Ambassadors ; 
A W A R E that a great number of ordinary Community 
citizens have distinguished themselves in various 
fields and are serving as role models in promoting 
the ideals and objectives enshrined in the Treaty; 
DESIRING to recognise and use this category of 
people to further the cause of integration both 
within and outside the region; 
DESIRING also to establish criteria for the award of 
the E C O W A S Order of Merit and for the appointment 
of E C O W A S Goodwil l Ambassadors; 
On the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the fortieth session 
of the Council of Ministers held in Lome from 21 st 
to 22nd November, 1996; 
DECIDES 
Art ic le 1 
E s t a b l i s h m e n t 
The award of the E C O W A S Order of Merit to 
deserving recipients is hereby establ ished Also 
e s t a b l i s h e d is the con fe rmen t of the title of 
E C O W A S Goodwil l Ambassador to an outstanding 
recipient of the Order of Merit 
Article 2 
Eligibility 
The following shall be eligible for the award of an 
E C O W A S Order of Merit: 
(a) a citizen of an E C O W A S Member stale; 
(b) a corporate body duly established in a 
Member State; 
(c) e m i n e n t i n te rna t i ona l or r e g i o n a l 
personalities or organisations that have 
d i s t i n g u i s h e d t h e m s e l v e s in the 
promotion of E C O W A S . 
Article 3 
Nominations 
Nominations of recipients shall be received from 
the following: 
(a) For Commun i t y c i t izens; f rom their 
Member States; 
(b) For eminent international personalities 
or organisations, from the Execut ive 
Secretariat. 
Article 4 
Criteria of the Award of the Order of Merit 
1. A candidate for an award should have the 
following qualities: 
(a) shall have distinguished himself in the 
a r e a s of art, cu l tu re , in fo rmat ion , 
science, agriculture, education, sports, 
or any other area relevant to the ideals 
and objectives of E C O W A S ; 
(b) shall be a person of high moral and 
intellectual integrity and probity, and, 
(c) shall be a person committed to the 
defence and promotion of the ideals 
and ob|ectives of E C O W A S . 
2 In exceptional circumstances, the award of 
an O r d e r of Mer i t can be m a d e pos t ­
humously 
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August 1997 Official Journal ot ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Article 5 
Appointment of Goodwill Ambassadors 
1. Recipients of the E C O W A S Order of Merit, 
considered suitable, may be appointed as 
E C O W A S Goodwil l Ambassadors. 
2. An E C O W A S Goodwill Ambassador may, from 
time to time, be called upon to execute certain 
tasks that promote E C O W A S objectives and 
ideals. 
Article 6 
Procedure of Award 
1. The award of the Order of Merit and of the 
tit le of G o o d w i l l A m b a s s a d o r sha l l be 
con fe r r ed by the Au thor i t y upon the 
recommendation of the Council of Ministers. 
2. Al l nominat ions for award shall be made 
through the Executive Secretariat which shall 
appra ise them and submit to the Human 
Resources, Information, Social and Cultural 
Affairs Commission (the Commission). 
3. The C o m m i s s i o n sha l l c o n s i d e r e a c h 
nomination on its merit using the criteria 
stated above, and shall thereafter submit its 
findings to the Council of Ministers. 
4. The Counc i l of Min is ters shal l make its 
recommendations on each nomination to the 
Authority of Heads of State and Government 
5. The awards and conferments shall be made 
to recipients by the Chairman of Authority 
during an Ordinary Session of the Authority. 
Ar t ic le 7 
Withdrawal 
1. Withdrawal of the award of an Order of Merit 
and the title of Goodwill Ambassador may be 
made upon the relevant justification of a 
M e m b e r S t a t e and /o r the E x e c u t i v e 
Secretariat 
2 The following reasons may be accepted as 
basis for withdrawal: 
(a) use of the award to commit fraudulent 
practices that are likely to bring the 
Community into disrepute; 
(b) the recipient is carrying out activities 
that are contrary to the interests of 
E C O W A S ; 
(c) any other reason as may be considerea 
appropriate by the Council of Ministers. 
3. Withdrawal shall be made by the Authority 
upon the recommendation of the Council of 
Ministers. 
Article 8 
Miscellaneous Provisions 
1 The award of the Order of Merit and the 
con fe rmen t of the t i t le of G o o d w i l l 
Ambassador shal l , as far as possible, be 
spread evenly, to reflect the diversities of the 
region. 
2. The award of the Order of Merit and the title 
of Goodwill Ambassador do not attract any 
pecuniary remuneration or other benefits. 
However, with regard to assignments which 
the Goodwil l Ambassadors may be cal led 
upon to execute, they shal l be accorded 
hospi ta l i ty a c c o r d i n g to the te rms and 
cond i t i ons a p p l i c a b l e wi th in E x e c u t i v e 
Secretariat for similar eminent personalities. 
Article 9 
Publicity 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
5 
Augusl 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
DONE AT ABU J A, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
R E C O G N I S I N G that direct in terconnect ion of 
E C O W A S coun t r ies by m o d e r n and feas ib le 
telecommunications systems remains a cardinal 
condition for sub-regional economic integration; 
MINDFUL of the institutional changes within the 
telecommunications sector which have led to the 
emergence of private operators; 
NOTING the diversity of the technological standards 
applied in the installation of telecommunications 
infrastructures in the West African sub-region; 
NOTING also the existence of short, medium and 
long-term te lecommunicat ions master plans in 
Member States; 
C O N S I D E R I N G the need to have a modern and 
reliable regional telecommunications network for the 
sustained economic development of West Afr ica; 
On the P R O P O S A L of the second meet ing of 
E C O W A S Ministers of Telecommunications held in 
Lome, on 11th July, 1997; 
On the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the forty-first 
session of the Counci l of Ministers held in Abuja 
from 23rd to 26th August, 1997; 
DECIDES 
DECISION A/DEC/.3/8/97 LAUNCH.NG THE 
SECOND ECOWAS TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
PRIORITY PROGRAMME (INTELCOM II) 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Art icles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
R E C O G N I S I N G that the INTELCOM I programme 
has fulfilled the expectations of Member States; 
R E C O G N I S I N G that it is necessary to implement 
the second E C O W A S Telecommunications Priority 
Programme known as INTELCOM II, 
Article 1 
The E C O W A S T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Pr ior i ty 
Programme ( INTELCOM II) attached to this Decision 
is hereby adopted. 
Article 2 
Member States shall: 
— fac i l i ta te the s i gn ing of r o a m i n g 
agreements between themselves; 
— in collaboration with the private sector, 
take n e c e s s a r y ac t i on to e n s u r e 
realisation of E C O W A S objectives at 
the national level; 
— take necessary measures to facilitate 
intra-community transit. 
6 
Augusl IW7 Official Journal 0/ ECOWA5 Vol. 33 
Article 3 
An appea l is hereby made to the international 
community to give E C O W A S the necessary support 
in m o b i l i s i n g f i nanc i a l r e s o u r c e s for the 
implementation of the programme. 
Article 4 
The Executive Secretariat shall ensure as well as 
monitor the implementation of the programme in 
close collaboration with Member States. 
SECOND ECOWAS TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
PRIORITY PROGRAMME (INTELCOM II) 
A. The Convergence criteria for the 
INTELCOM II programme are as follows: 
1. The Telecommunications Framework 
The following regulatory framework shall be 
in place in all Member States by the year 
2000. 
Ar t ic le 5 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONEATABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
s e p a r a t i o n of pos ta l a n d 
t e l ecommun i ca t i ons s e r v i c e s , and 
merging of national and international 
telecommunications branches; 
separation of operations and regulatory 
f unc t i ons . E s t a b l i s h m e n t or 
s t r eng then ing of an i n d e p e n d e n t 
regulatory body in conformity with the 
po l i t i ca l , lega l and admin i s t ra t i ve 
system of each country, 
commercialisation of public enterprise 
wh ich wi l l then be g ran ted full 
autonomy; 
poss ib le pr ivat isat ion of the publ ic 
operator with the state as a partner, 
awareness on the part of operators 
that the sector has a mission to provide 
universal service. 
2. Telephone Density 
Telephone density figures for E C O W A S are derived 
from average estimated density for the Member 
States. 
1 mam line for 100 inhabitants by the 
year 2000, and 2 main lines for 100 
inhabitants by 2005; 
By the year 2000, 2 5% of the total 
number of main lines in the country 
shall be locai tu in the rural areas The 
figure should be 5% by the year 2005; 
Shared lines (pay phones, telecentres 
etc. ) shall comprise 3% of the total 
7 
August 1997 Officio! Jouinol of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
number by the year 2000, and 5% by 
2005. 
3. Full Digitalisation of the Network 
the level of digital switching shall by 
90% by the year 2000 and 100% by 
2005; 
the level of digital ised transmission 
shall be 9 5 % by the year 2000 and 
100% by 2005; 
the s tandard digi tal sys tem to be 
employed shall be the European E l , 
sychronous digital hierarchy (SDH) 
shall be introduced into the networks 
by the year 2005. 
4. Integrated Systems Digital Network (ISDN) 
B a s i c a c c e s s (144 kb/s) sha l l be 
available to 5% of residential user by 
the year 2000; 
primary access (2.048 Mb/s) shall be 
available to 10% of professional users 
by the year 2000, 
the ISDN shal l be ava i lab le in all 
Member States not later than the year 
2005 
5. Intelligent Network 
National networks shall include the 
minimal function "intelligent network" by 
the year 1997 and the integral function 
by 2005 
6. Cellular Technology 
All Member states shall operate cellular 
networks by the year 1999 at the latest. 
G M S shall b& accepted as the digital 
standard for the entire community by 
the year 2 0 0 5 . and roaming 
ag reements shal l be s igned by all 
States; 
Member States shall hatmomse their 
pos i t i ons wi th regard to G M P C S 
systems by the year 1998. 
7. Information Super-highway 
Direct access to the Internet and Global 
Information Highway by all States not 
later than the end of 1998; minimum 
output 128 kb/s. 
8. Standardisation of Telecommunications 
Hardware 
adoption and definition of standards in 
o rder to improve in te rconnec t ion , 
uniformity and compatibility of national 
networks; 
e n c o u r a g e l imit ing the numbe r of 
s y s t e m s of t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s 
equipment in each Member State in 
order to facilitate the maintenance of 
the inter-state network 
9. Industrialisation and Preferential 
Treatment for ECOWAS in the Supply of 
Equipment and Services. 
e n c o u r a g e loca l manufac tu r ing of 
t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s equ ipmen t in 
Member States; 
g ran t ing p re fe ren t i a l c o m m u n i t y 
t reatment for equ ipment p roduced 
wholly or partly in any Member State 
B. The list of shor t and medium-term priori ty 
pro jec ts for the mode rn i sa t i on of inter­
state l inks : 
digitalisation of the Panaftel CIDA link; 
digital isation of the Koa lack-Ban ju l -
Ziguinchor-Cacheu link, 
digital isat ion of the Tambacounda-
Kedougou-Mali-Conakry link, 
digitalisation of the Conakry-Freetown-
Monrov ia-Mt N imba-Ab id jan -Acc ra 
link. 
d ig i ta l i sa t ion of the A c c r a - l o m e -
Cotonou-Lagos coastal link. 
8 
August i 997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
commissioning of the Bissau-Conakry 
link; 
d ig i t a l i sa t i on of the fo l low ing 
transversal links 
— Bamako-Conakry; 
— Bamako-Abidjan; 
— Ouagadougou-Abid jan; 
— Ouagadougou-Accra ; 
— Niamey - Sokoto - llorin -
Ibadan - Lagos; 
— Niamey - Maradi - Katsina 
- Abuja - Lagos. 
DECISION A/DEC/.4/8/97 ESTABLISHING AN AD-
HOC MONITORING C O M M I T T E E FOR THE 
CREATION OF A SINGLE MONETARY ZONE BY 
THE YEAR 2000 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised Treaty 
of the Economic Community of West African States 
( E C O W A S ) establishing the Authority of Heads of 
State and Government and defining its composition 
and functions; 
R E C A L L I N G its Decision A / D E C . 6 / 5 / 8 3 taken in 
C o n a k r y , on 30th May , 1983 re la t ing to the 
commissioning of studies leading to the establishment 
of an E C O W A S Single Monetary Zone; 
R E C A L L I N G further its Decision A/DEC.2/7/87 of 9th 
July, 1987 in Abuja on the adoption of an E C O W A S 
Monetary Cooperation Programme with the objective 
of establishing a Single Monetary Zone; 
C O M M E N D I N G the significant macro-economic 
reform measures that have been undertaken by 
many Member States to revitalise their national 
economies particularly in the areas of exchange 
control liberalisation, adoption of market determined 
exchange rates, and the reduction of budget deficits 
and inflation; 
E X P R E S S I N G concern about the slow pace of 
implementation of certain aspects of the Monetary 
Cooperation Programme; 
D E S I R O U S of accelerating the implementation of 
sound economic management policies at regional and 
national levels required for the achievement of a viable 
single monetary zone by the target date of the year 
2000, 
ON THE RECOMMENDATION of the forty-first session 
of the Council of Ministers held in Abuja from 23rd to 
26th August, 1997; 
DECIDES 
9 
August 1W7 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol 33 
Article 1 
Establishment 
An Ad-Hoc Monitoring Committee of Heads of State 
and Government forthe creation of a Single Monetary 
Zone is hereby established. 
Article 2 
Composition 
The Ad-Hoc Committee shall be composed of the 
following Heads of State and Government of the 
following Member States: 
— Republic of C O T E D' lVOIRE; 
— Republic of G H A N A ; 
— Republic of MALI; 
— Federal Republic of NIGERIA; 
— T O G O L E S E Republic. 
Article 3 
Mandate 
The Ad-Hoc Committee shall act on behalf of the 
Authority and is authorised to take all measures 
n e c e s s a r y to e n s u r e the s p e e d y and t imely 
attainment of a single monetary zone. 
Article 4 
Powers 
The Ad-hoc Committee shall 
(i) Establish a Ministerial and such other 
Technical Committees as it may consider 
necessary. The Ministerial Committee 
shall be composed of Ministers of Finance 
and Governors of Central Banks of 
M e m b e r S t a t e s on the A d - h o c 
Committee; 
(it) Receive and consider reports from the 
Ministerial and Technical Committees on 
p r o g r e s s be ing m a d e in the 
establishment of the Single Monetary 
Zone; 
(iii) Evaluate the performance of Member 
States towards fulfilling the convergence 
criteria agreed upon; 
(iv) Make decisions to be observed by all 
Member States and issue directives to 
Member States concerned in order to 
correct any observed deviations from 
the macro-economic aggregate targets 
defined; 
(v) R e c o m m e n d ass is tance of relevant 
international organisations and donor 
agenc ies to facilitate compl iance by 
Member States; 
(vi) Propose new measures and orientations 
to e n h a n c e the a c h i e v e m e n t and 
functioning of a Single Monetary Zone; 
(vii) m a k e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s on the 
readiness of Member States to enter into 
a Single Monetary Zone by the year 
2000. 
Article 5 
Frequency of Meetings 
The Ad-Hoc Committee of Heads of State shall meet 
at least every six months. One of the meetings shall 
precede the Annual Ordinary Session of the Authority, 
which shall consider the annual report of the Ad-hoc 
Committee on the E C O W A S monetary integration 
programme. The Ministerial Committee and other 
techn ica l Commi t t ees shal l meet as often as 
necessary. 
Article 6 
Technical Assistance 
The Executive Secretary in collaboration with the 
West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) Directorate 
shall provide every technical assistance needed, 
through the Ministerial Committee for the effective 
application of this Decision. 
10 
August WW Officio! Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Art ic le 7 
Publication 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its signature by the Chairman 
of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
DECISION A/DEC. 5/8/97 RELATING TO THE 
E N H A N C E M E N T OF T H E FINANCIAL 
RESOURCES OF THE ECOWAS FUND 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised Treaty 
of the Economic Community of West African States 
( E C O W A S ) establishing the Authority of Heads of 
State and Government and defining its composition 
and functions; 
M I N D F U L of D e c i s i o n s A / D E C . 2 / 6 / 8 8 and A / 
D E C . 10/6/89 of the Authority of Heads of State and 
Government relating to the Study on Enhancing 
the Financial Resources of the E C O W A S F U N D ; 
O n the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the forty-first 
session of the Counci l of Ministers held in Abuja 
from 23rd to 26th August, 1997, 
DECIDES 
The payment of all arrears by Member 
States shall be a pre-condition for the 
opening of the F U N D ' S capital to non-
regionals; 
(b) Member States shall clear all payment 
of arrears before the end of December, 
1998; 
(c) The Management of the F U N D shall 
strictly apply, during the transitional 
phase, the provisions of Articles 25 and 
26 of the Protocol relating to the F U N D 
concerning the Board of Directors and 
the procedure of the Board of Directors; 
(d) The principle of transformation of the 
F U N D is he reby a c c e p t e d . Th is 
transformation shall take into account 
the reg iona l d e v e l o p m e n t and 
integration objectives. 
Article 2 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
H.E. GENERAL SANI ABACHA Article 1 
CHAIRMAN, (a) 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
11 
August IW7 Official Journal or ECOWAS Vol 33 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its signature by the Chairman 
of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Decision A/DEC.9/7 /96 authorising the 
Executive Secretary to sign a loan agreement with 
the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the construction 
of residential quarters for staff of the Execut ive 
Secretariat in Abuja, 
CONSIDERING that new and more favourable terms 
of the loan agreement have now been finalised 
be tween the E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r i a t and the 
Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 
On the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the forty-first 
session of the Counci l of Ministers held in Abuja 
from 23rd to 26th August, 1997; 
DECIDES 
H E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
Article 1 
The modal i t ies and cond i t i ons of repayment 
conta ined in Ar t ic le 5 of the loan ag reemen t 
between the Government of the Federal Republic 
of Nigeria and the Executive Secretariat attached 
to this Decision are hereby approved. 
Article 2 
The Execu t i ve Sec re ta r i a t sha l l immed ia te l y 
convene a meet ing of the A d - H o c Min is ter ia l 
Committee on Construction of Headquarters of the 
Community and shall take all necessary steps to 
commence and complete construction of the staff 
residential accommodation. 
DECISION A / D E C . 6/8/97 ON THE LOAN 
A G R E E M E N T B E T W E E N THE EXECUTIVE 
SECRETARIAT AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE 
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA FOR THE 
CONSTRUCTION OF STAFF RESIDENTIAL 
ACCOMMODATION IN ABUJA 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7. 8 and 9 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establishing the Authority of 
Article 3 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
12 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol 33 
DON EAT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.€. GENERAL SANf ABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
1997 a re the s p e e d y r e - i n s t a t e m e n t of the 
legitimate Government of President Ahmad Tejan 
Kabbah, the restoration of peace and security in 
Sierra Leone and the resolution of the problem of 
refugees and displaced persons; 
W E L C O M I N G the unreserved support of the United 
Nations Security Council and the Heads of State and 
Government of the Organisation of African Unity for 
the above-mentioned objectives; 
D E P L O R I N G the breakdown on 30th July, 1997 of 
the negotiations between representatives of the illegal 
regime in Sierra Leone and the E C O W A S Ministerial 
Committee of Four set up to monitor the situation in 
Sierra Leone; 
C O N S I D E R I N G that the intransigence and negative 
attitude shown by the junta constitute a serious 
obstacle to the efforts being made by E C O W A S to 
ensure a peaceful settlement of the crisis and poses 
a serious threat to peace and security in the sub-
region; 
D E E P L Y concerned at the worsening of the crisis in 
Sierra Leone; 
DECISION A / D E C . 7/8/97 EXTENDING THE 
S C O P E OF ACTIVITY A N D M A N D A T E OF 
ECOMOG TO COVER SIERRA LEONE 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
M I N D F U L of Art icles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised 
Treaty or the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
M I N D F U L of D e c i s i o n A / D E C . 1 / 1 1 / 9 0 of the 
Authority of Heads of State and Government of 28th 
November . 1990 approv ing the creat ion of an 
E C O W A S Cease-fire Monitoring Group in Liberia, 
C O N S I D E R I N G that the objectives being pursued by 
E C O W A S with regard to the situation prevailing in 
Sierra Leone following the coup d'etat of 25th May, 
C O N V I N C E D that the strict application of certain 
measures instituted to make possible the attainment 
of the objectives of E C O W A S requires the urgent 
intervention of the armed forces; 
C O N V I N C E D further that the E C O W A S Cease-f ire 
Monitoring Group ( E C O M O G ) in Liberia is the only 
Force in the Sub-region capable of prompt response 
to any requests in this regard and that it has the 
relevant expertise to achieve this purpose; 
C O N V I N C E D of the need to extend the scope of 
activity of E C O M O G to Sierra Leone and to modify 
its mandate accordingly; 
On the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the second meeting 
of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on Sierra Leone; 
DECIDES 
Article 1 
Mandate in Sierra Leone 
The scope of activity of E C O M O G is hereby extended 
13 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
into the territory of Sierra Leone to assist in creating 
the conducive atmosphere that would ensure the 
early re-instatement of the legitimate government 
of Sierra Leone. To this end, it shall carry out the 
following tasks: 
(i) monitor and supervise all cease-fire 
violations; 
(ii) enforce the sanctions regime and the 
embargo instituted by the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government against 
the illegal regime; and 
(iii) undertake any other assignment in Sierra 
Leone as may be given to it by the 
Authority-
Article 2 
Reports on Implementation 
The Force Commander shall make forthnightly 
reports on the status of implementation of the 
mandate to the current Chairman of Authority. 
Article 3 
Publication 
This Decision shall enter into force upon signature 
and shall be published in the Official Journal of the 
Community by the Executive Secretariat. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANI ABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
DECISION A/DEC.8 /8 /97 ON S A N C T I O N S 
AGAINST THE ILLEGAL REGIME IN SIERRA 
LEONE 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States (ECOWAS) establishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
RECALLING the decision taken on the situation in 
Sierra Leone by the Heads of State and 
Government of the OAU at their thirty-third ordinary 
session held in Harare, Zimbabwe; 
RECALLING also Statement S/PRST/1997/29 of 
27th May, 1997, Statement S/PRST/1997/36 of 11th 
July, 1997 and Statement S/PRST/1997/42 of 5th 
August, 1997 in which the President of the United 
Nations Security Council described as 
unacceptable the overthrow of the democratically-
elected Government of President Ahmad Tejan 
Kabbah; called for the immediate and unconditional 
return to the constitutional order in Sierra Leone 
and expressed the support of the Security Council 
for the objectives of ECOWAS in Sierra Leone; 
CONSIDERING the fact that the worsening crisis in 
Sierra Leone has led to the increase in the number 
of Sierra Leonean refugees in neighbouring 
Member States; thus threatening peace and 
security in the sub-region; 
BEARING IN MIND the E C O W A S objectives 
contained in the Final Communique of the Meeting 
of Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Conakry on 
26th June, 1997; 
DEEPLY concerned at the breakdown of 
negotiations in Abidjan on 30th July, 1997 between 
the ECOWAS Ministerial Committee of Four on 
Sierra Leone and the representatives of the illegal 
regime in Sierra Leone; 
ON THE RECOMMENDATION of the second 
meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Foreign Affairs 
on Sierra Leone held in Abuja on 27th and 28th 
August, 1997; 
14 
August 1997' Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
DECIDES 
Article 1 
The Community and its Member States re-affirm their 
d e c i s i o n s to s p a r e no effort to res to re the 
democratical ly elected government of President 
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah to power as soon as possible. 
Article 2 
Member States hereby place a general and total 
embargo on all supplies of petroleum products, arms 
and military equipment to Sierra Leone. They shall 
also abstain from transacting any business of a 
commercial nature with that country. To this end, 
Member States shall: 
(a) prevent the sale or supply by their 
nationals or from their territories or the 
use of their flag vessels or aircraft, of 
petroleum or petroleum products or 
arms and related material of all types, 
including weapons and ammunit ion, 
military vehicles and equipment, police 
equ ipment and spare parts for the 
a f o r e m e n t i o n e d , w h e t h e r or not 
originating in their territories, to any 
person or legal entity, for the purpose 
of any b u s i n e s s car r ied out in or 
operated from the Republic of Sierra 
L e o n e , and any act iv i t ies by their 
nationals or in their territories which 
promote or are calculated to promote 
such sale or supply; 
(b) prohibit any and all traffic from entering 
the territory or territorial waters of the 
Repub l i c of S ier ra Leone , carry ing 
petroleum or petroleum products; or 
arms and related material of all types, 
including weapons and ammunit ion, 
military vehicles and equipment, police 
equipment and spare parts for the afore­
mentioned; 
(c) prevent from entering their respective 
territories, all members of the illegal 
regime, as well as military officers, 
members of their families, and other 
persons directly or indirectly connected 
with the regime and deny the use of 
their airspace to aircraft belonging to 
or carrying any member of the regime; 
(d) prevent any activities by their nationals 
or on their terr i tor ies wh ich would 
promote the export or transhipment of 
commodities or products originating in 
Sierra Leone and transactions by their 
nationals or flag vessels or aircraft or in 
their terr i tory any commod i t i e s or 
products originating in the Republic of 
Sierra Leone or exported therefrom. 
Ar t ic le 3 
Member States shall prohibit the importation of 
commodities and products originating in Sierra Leone 
and the exportation of goods to that country except 
goods meant for humanitarian purposes. 
Article 4 
Member States shall f reeze funds held in their 
territories by members of the illegal regime, military 
officers and civilians directly or indirectly connected 
with the regime as well as their families. 
Ar t ic le 5 
The embargo imposed by this decision shall not apply 
to arms, military equipment, military assistance, police 
equipment and spare parts meant for the exclusive 
use of the sub-reg ional forces which shal l be 
responsible for applying the measures contained in 
this Decision. 
Ar t ic le 6 
The sub-regional forces shall employ ail necessary 
means to implement this decision. They shall monitor 
closely the coastal areas, land borders and airspace 
of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and shall inspect, 
detain and seize any ship, vehicle or aircraft violating 
the embargo stipulated in this decision. 
Ar t ic le 7 
The Ministerial Committee of Four on Sierra Leone 
shall: 
15 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of tCOWAS Vol. 33 
(i) r eques t a l l M e m b e r S t a t e s to 
c o m m u n i c a t e to it, any new 
deve lopments regarding measures 
taken to ensure effective implementation 
of this decision; 
(ii) analyse any information brought to its 
notice by Member States concerning 
violations of the sanctions contained in 
this d e c i s i o n and r e c o m m e n d 
appropriate measures; 
(HI) consider requests for permission to 
import into Sierra Leone, goods for 
humanitarian uses; 
DONE IN ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
(iv) report to the Author i t y regular ly , 
in fo rmat ion it may have ob ta ined 
concerning al leged violations of this 
decision, and where possible, identify the 
persons or entities, including the vessels, 
vehicles or aircraft involved in such 
violations 
Article 8 
The Ministerial Commit tee of Four shal l make 
appropriate recommendations to the Authority on 
the implementation of this Decision. 
Article 9 
DECISION A / D E C . 9/8/97 EXTENDING THE 
T E N U R E OF THE E C O W A S C E A S E F I R E 
MONITORING GROUP IN LIBERIA 
All Member States shall take necessary measures to 
ensure full implementation of this decision. 
Ar t ic le 10 
E C O W A S shall seek the assistance of the United 
Nations Security Council to make these sanctions 
ef fect ive and binding on all m e m b e r s of the 
international community in accordance with the 
provisions of the United Nations Charter 
Ar t ic le 11 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
and by each Member State in its National Gazette 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Decision A / D E C 1/8/90 of the Heads 
of S ta te and G o v e r n m e n t of the C o m m u n i t y 
Standing Mediation Commit tee establishing the 
E C O W A S Cease-fire Monitoring Group in Liberia 
( E C O M O G ) and Decision A /DEC.1 /11 /90 of the 
Authori ty of H e a d s of State and Gove rnmen t 
approving the said establishment; 
MINDFUL of paragraph 4, Article 2 of the said Decision 
A / D E C 1/8/90 which stipulates that " E C O M O G shall 
16 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal ol ECOWAS Vol. 33 
remain in Liberia, if necessary, until the successful 
holding of general elections and the installation of an 
elected government"; 
CONSIDERING that the successful organisation of 
special elections in Liberia in 1997 concluded the 
execution of the ECOWAS peace plan for that 
country; 
FULLY SATISFIED that the elections culminated in 
the establishment of democracy and peace which 
could enhance prospects for reconciliation, 
rehabilitation and long-term development in Liberia; 
AWARE that it is necessary for ECOMOG to remain 
in Liberia to consolidate the peace in that country; 
ON THE RECOMMENDATION of the meeting of 
Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Abuja on 27th 
and 28th August, 1997; 
DECIDES 
Article 1 
In order to consolidate peace, the tenure of the 
ECOWAS Ceasefire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) 
in Liberia shall, at the request of the Government 
of Liberia, be extended for a period mutually agreed 
by both parties. 
Article 2 
This Decision shall enter into force upon signature. 
It shall be published in the Official Journal of the 
Community by the Executive Secretariat. 
It shall also be published by each Member State in 
its National Gazette. 
DONE IN ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
DECISION A/DEC. 10/8/97 RELATING TO THE 
R E N E W A L OF T H E T E R M O F O F F I C E OF 
AKINTOLA WILLIAMS A N D C O M P A N Y A S 
EXTERNAL AUDITORS TO THE COMMUNITY 
INSTITUTIONS 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States (ECOWAS) establishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Article 10 of the Treaty relating to the 
appointment of External Auditors; 
MINDFUL of Decision A/DEC.3/7/91 relating to the 
selection and evaluation of the performance of 
statutory appointees of the Community, and 
particularly the provisions of Article 1(b) thereof, 
relating to the renewal of the term of office of the 
External Auditors and the evaluation report; 
MINDFUL of Decision A/DEC.3/7/92 relating to the 
appointment of the firm of AKINTOLA WILLIAMS 
and Company as External Auditors of the 
Community; 
CONSIDERING that under the provision of Article 
1(b) of Decision A/DEC.3/7/91 the mandate of the 
External Auditor may be renewed twice for a term 
of two years each; 
CONSIDERING that the term of office of AKINTOLA 
WILLIAMS and Company was renewed once as 
indicated in Decision A/DEC.7/8/94; 
CONSIDERING that during its mandate. AKINTOLA 
WILLIAMS and Company discharged its duties with 
competence and efficiency; 
CONSIDERING Recommendation C/REC.7/8/97 of 
the forty-first session of the Council of Ministers 
held in Abuja from 23rd to 26th August, 1997; 
DECIDES 
Article 1 
The term of office of AKINTOLA WILLIAMS and 
17 
Augusi 1997 Otticial journal ot ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Company as External Auditors to the Community 
Institutions is hereby renewed for a second term 
for a period of two years. 
Article 2 
T h e s e c o n d renewa l of the term of of f ice of 
AKINTOLA WILLIAMS and Company as External 
Auditors to the Community Institutions shall take 
effect from 1st August, 1996. 
Article 3 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
DECISION A/DEC.11/8/97 RELATING TO THE 
LIFTING OF THE SANCTIONS AND EMBARGO 
AGAINST LIBERIA 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Art icles 7, 8 and 9 of the Rev ised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Decision A /DEC.8 /7 /92 of 29th July, 
1992 relating to sanctions against Char les Taylor 
and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) , 
M I N D F U L of Dec i s i on A / D E C . 1 / 1 0 / 9 2 of 20th 
October, 1992 relating to the implementation of 
Decision A /DEC.8 /7 /92 on sanct ions against the 
parties to the Ltberian conflict which fail to comply 
with the implementat ion of the Yamoussouk ro 
Agreement of 30th October, 1991; 
M I N D F U L of Dec is ion H S G C 9 - 1 / 8 / 9 6 of 17th 
August , 1996, relating to the sanct ions against 
persons who violate the E C O W A S Peace Plan for 
Liberia; 
M I N D F U L of Dec is ion H S G C 9 / 2 / 8 / 9 6 of 17th 
August, 1996 relating to the implementation of the 
arms embargo on Liberia; 
M I N D F U L of Uni ted Nat ions Secur i ty C o u n c i l 
Resolutions 788 of 19th November, 1992, and 813 
of 25th March, 1993; 
C O N S I D E R I N G that the need to ensure compliance 
with the E C O W A S Peace Plan by the parties to the 
Libenan conflict led the Community decision-making 
bodies to impose sanct ions against the parties 
failing to comply with the said plan; 
C O N S I D E R I N G that in order to ensure that peace 
and stability prevailed in Liberia, Member States 
i m p o s e d a gene ra l and total e m b a r g o on al l 
shipments of arms and military hardware to that 
country and obtained a similar Security Counci l 
Resolution in order to make the sanction universal 
and obligatory; 
C O N S I D E R I N G that the successful organisation of 
18 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
the special elections in Liberia in 1997 completed 
the execution of the E C O W A S Peace Plan in that 
country; 
C O N V I N C E D that with the restoration of democracy 
and peace in Liberia, it is no longer necessary to 
maintain the embargo and any other sanct ions 
imposed against Liberia; 
DECIDES 
Article 1 
The Member States hereby immediately lift the 
e m b a r g o on the import of a rms and mil i tary 
hardware to Liberia as well as all other sanctions 
imposed against Liberia and all the parties to the 
Liberian conflict. 
Article 2 
T h e E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y sha l l r eques t the 
Secretary-General of the United Nations to have 
the e m b a r g o i m p o s e d against L iber ia by the 
Security Council lifted. 
Article 3 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
DECISION A/DEC. 12/8/97 RELATING TO THE 
F R E Q U E N C Y AND V E N U E S OF E C O W A S 
SUMMIT MEETINGS 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Rev ised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Article 8 of the Treaty relating to the 
frequency of E C O W A S summit meetings; 
CONSIDERING that more frequent summit meetings 
would enable the Heads of State to give a better 
or ientat ion and the n e c e s s a r y impu lse to the 
a c c e l e r a t e d d e v e l o p m e n t of the in tegra t ion 
process; 
A W A R E of the need to take prompt and appropriate 
action on important economic and political issues 
concerning the sub-region; 
C O N V I N C E D that more frequent summit meetings 
would make it poss ib le to rev i ta l ise nat ional 
execu t i ng a g e n c i e s and m a k e them more 
conscious of their responsibilities; 
DESI R O U S of organising two summit meetings each 
year, the first at the E C O W A S Secretariat and the 
second in other Member States on a rotative basis, 
in o rde r to p romo te g rea te r in teres t and 
commitment to the integration p rocess among 
citizens of the Community; 
DECIDES 
Article 1 
F r e q u e n c y of Meetings 
The Authority shall meet in ordinary session twice 
a year. 
Article 2 
Venue of Meetings 
One of the meetings shall be held at the E C O W A S 
19 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Secretariat and the other in other Member States 
on a rotative basis. 
Article 3 
Publication 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANIABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
DECISION A/DEC. 13/8/97 ON THE AWARD OF 
THE ECOWAS PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Rev ised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Decision A / D E C . 14/5/82 establishing 
the E C O W A S Prize for Excel lence; 
MINDFUL of Decision C /DEC.6 /2 /93 appointing the 
members of the Jury for the E C O W A S Prize for 
Excel lence; 
MINDFUL of Decision A /DEC.2 /7 /92 approving the 
rules and regulations of the E C O W A S Prize for 
Excellence in African pharmacopoeia; 
On the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the International 
Jury for the award of the E C O W A S Pr ize for 
Excel lence; 
C O N S I D E R I N G Recommendation C/REC.5 /8 /97 of 
the forty-first session of the Counci l of Ministers, 
held in Abuja from 23rd to 26th August, 1997; 
DECIDES 
Article 1 
The E C O W A S Prize for Excel lence in the area of 
African Pharmacopoeia is hereby awarded to the 
following winners: 
— Dr. Modou LO, for his work titled 
"Contribution to Botanical and Physico-
chemical Research on Sterculia Gum 
(Sterarliaceae): Development of Sigera 
Sterculia and its socio-economic 
impacts in Senegal"; 
Professor August ine O. 
O K H A M A F E , for his work t i t led 
"Extraction, development and utilisation 
of cellulose from selected agricultural 
waste as pharmaceutical excipient" 
20 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Article 2 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONEAT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
Heads of State and Government and defining its 
composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Article 18, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the 
Revised Treaty relating to the appointment of the 
Executive Secretary; 
CONSI DERI N G that the post of Executive Secretary 
of the Community shall become vacant on the 31 st 
of August, 1997; 
DECIDES 
Article 1 
1. The statutory post of the Executive Secretary 
of the Economic Community of West African 
States is hereby re-allocated to the Republic 
of Guinea. 
2. Mr. Lansana KOUYATE is appointed to the 
post of Executive Secretary of the Community 
for a period of four years, with effect from 1st 
September, 1997, and shall assume duty on 
that day. 
Article 2 
DECISION A/DEC.14/8/97 RELATING TOTHE RE­
ALLOCATION OF THE POST OF EXECUTIVE 
SECRETARYTO THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA AND 
THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. LANSANA KOUYATE 
AS T H E E X E C U T I V E S E C R E T A R Y OF THE 
ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN 
STATES 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Art icles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ishing the Authority of 
This Decision shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of Authority. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
21 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS VCI 33 
RESOLUTION A/RES.1/8/97 ON THE URGENT 
APPLICATION OF THE COMMUNITY LEVY 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7 ,8 and 9 of the Revised Treaty 
of the Economic Community of West African States 
( E C O W A S ) establishing the Authority of Heads of 
State and Government and defining its composition 
and functions; 
CONSIDERING that all measures taken to prevail upon 
Member States to meet their financial obligations to 
the Community have not proved successful ; 
C O N S I D E R I N G the provisions of Protocol A / R 1 / 7 / 
96 on condi t ions govern ing app l ica t ion of the 
Community levy; 
R E C A L L I N G its appeal made on 27th July, 1996 to 
ratify the protocol on the Community levy before 
31 st December, 1996 and to implement its provisions 
as from 1st January, 1997; 
NOTING that, as at 30th June, 1997, no instrument 
of ratification had been deposited with the Executive 
Secretariat in respect of the Protocol; 
C O N S I D E R I N G that the absence of self-generated 
funds poses a serious obstacle to the functioning of 
the Community institutions and retards the regional 
integration process; 
C O N S I D E R I N G Recommendation C/REC./7/8/97 of 
the forty-first session of the Counci l of Ministers held 
in Abuja from 23rd to 26th August, 1997; 
RE-AFF IRMING its commitment to pursue the goals 
of integration of Member States within a viable 
regional community; 
CALLS on Member States to commence effective 
implementation as from 1st January, 1998 of the 
Protocol A/P1/7/96 on the Community levy; 
FURTHER C A L L S on Member Sta tes to take 
appropriate administrat ive and legal measures 
immediately to ensure effective application of the 
Community levy on the above-mentioned date and, 
consequently, to include the Community levy in their 
finance acts as from the 1998 fiscal year; 
MANDATES the current Chairman of the Authority 
to pay par t fcu la r a t ten t ion a n d mon i to r the 
implementation of this Resolut ion; 
DIRECTS the Executive Secretary to report on the 
difficulties encountered, to the Cha i rman of the 
Author i ty who sha l l consu l t his pee rs to f ind 
appropriate solution. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANI A B A C HA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
22 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
RESOLUTION A/RES.2/8/97 RELATING TO 
PREVENTION A N D C O N T R O L OF DRUG 
ABUSE IN WEST AFRICA 
THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND 
GOVERNMENT, 
MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised Treaty 
of the Economic Community of West African States 
( E C O W A S ) establishing the Authority of Heads of 
State and Government and defining its composition 
and functions; 
BEARING in mind the Organisation of African Unity's 
Declaration and Plan of Action AHG/Dec l 2 (xxxiii) on 
the abuse and illicit trafficking of drugs in Africa; 
B E A R I N G in mind also the wish expressed in Abuja 
on 27th July, 1996 by E C O W A S Heads of State and 
Government to give impetus to waging a more 
energetic and better coordinated war against the 
drug phenomenon and related criminal activities in 
West Africa; 
R E C A L L I N G the acceptance by E C O W A S Heads of 
State and Government of the offer made by the 
Government of Cape Verde to convene a ministerial 
conference to discuss all aspects of the drug problem; 
A L A R M E D at the rapid spread of drugs not only in 
Member States but in all countries in the sub-region; 
A W A R E that if urgent measures are not taken to 
effectively combat it, the drug phenomenon may 
hamper the deve lopmen t of M e m b e r S ta tes , 
adversely affect the standard of living of the people, 
and threaten h u m a n rights and fundamenta l 
freedoms, 
N O T I N G with sat is fact ion the outcome of the 
de l ibe ra t ions of the C o n f e r e n c e of Min is ters 
responsible for coordination of drug control activities 
in West Africa held in Praia from 5th to 9th May, 1997 
which discussed the spread of drugs and the resultant 
increase in criminal activities in West Africa; 
NOTING also with satisfaction the United Nations Drug 
Control Programme's support and assistance to 
E C O W A S in the areas of prevention and control of 
drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the sub-
region; 
C O N V I N C E D that the drug phenomenon can have 
destabilising and corruptive influences on social , 
economic and political institutions and so constitutes 
an increasing danger which requires a concerted 
response as well as increased and more effective 
cooperation among Member States; 
On the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the forty-first session 
of the Council of Ministers held in Abuja from 23rd to 
26th August, 1997; 
1 EXPRESSES its gratitude to the Government 
of Cape Verde for hosting the Conference of 
Ministers responsible for coordination of drug 
control activities in West Africa. 
2 T A K E S NOTE with s a t i s f a c t i o n of the 
conclusions and recommendat ions of the 
Conference of Ministers. 
3. APPROVES the Praia Declaration and Plan of 
Action attached to this Resolution and requests 
Member States to implement them as soon as 
possible. 
4. APPEALS to the United Nations Drug Control 
P r o g r a m m e to cont inue its suppor t and 
assistance to Member States and the E C O W A S 
E x e c u t i v e Sec re ta r i a t so that they can 
effectively execute the tasks included in the 
Praia Declaration and Plan of Action. 
5 D IRECTS the E C O W A S E x e c u t i v e 
Secretariat: 
(i) to monitor the implementation of the 
Praia Political Declaration and Plan of 
Action; 
(ii) to report to future s e s s i o n s of the 
Authority on the implementation of this 
Resolution. 
23 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol.33 • 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
H.E. GENERAL SANI ABACHA 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR THE AUTHORITY. 
24 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
THE PRAIA 
POLITICAL DECLARATION 
PRAIA, 9TH MAY, 1997 
25 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE 
FOR COORDINATION OF DRUG C O N T R O L 
ACTIVITIES IN WEST AFRICA 
THE PRAIA POLITICAL DECLARATION 
PRAIA, 9TH MAY, 1997 
POLITICAL DECLARATION 
WE Ministers responsible for coordination of drug 
control in Member States of the Economic 
Community of West African States (ECOWAS); 
ACTING on the commitment of Heads of State and 
Government to support the ideals encapsulated in 
the Revised Treaty, within which is re-affirmed the 
establishment of ECOWAS; 
BEARING in mind the wish expressed in Abuja on 
27th July, 1996 by ECOWAS Heads of State and 
Government to give impetus to waging a more 
energetic and better coordinated war against the 
drug phenomenon and related criminal activities in 
West Africa; 
RECALLING the acceptance by ECOWAS Heads 
of State and Government of the offer made by the 
Government of Cabo Verde to convene a ministerial 
conference to discuss all aspects of the drug 
problem; 
MEETING in consequence, in Praia from 8th - 9th 
May, 1997; 
ALARMED at the rapid spread of drugs in all 
countries in the sub-region and the resultant 
upsurge in criminal activities; 
AWARE of the disastrous social consequences of 
abuse of narcotic drugs in the sub-region, 
particularly among the youth whose stable 
development is imperative for the progress of 
Member States and for the building of the 
Community; 
CONSIDERING the enormous human and material 
costs of drug abuse and its pernicious effects on 
people's health, on the economies and financial 
systems of Member States and on their 
fundamental social values; 
AWARE also that inadequate facilities in Member 
States often militate against the formulation of 
coherent multisectoral national policies which can 
effectively combat and eliminate illicit drug use in 
the sub-region; 
CONVINCED of the pressing need for a concerted 
and coordinated approach towards drug prevention, 
suppression, treatment and the re-integration of 
victims; 
CONVINCED also that it is the high consumption and 
demand for illicit drugs that encourages and sustains 
drug production and trafficking; 
CONSIDERING, in consequence, that Member States 
and the international community should take into 
consideration the interdependence between demand 
and supply of illicit drugs, and its effects; 
RE-AFFIRMING the responsibility assigned in this 
connection to the United Nations International Drug 
Control Programme (UNDCP) and recognising the 
need to formulate a multi-sectoral action plan to 
combat drugs; 
DECLARE the unflinching resolve of our States to 
ensure full and speedy application of this Political 
Declaration and the attached sub-regional Plan of 
Action. 
POLITICAL DECLARATION 
1. WE UNDERTAKE to adopt as quickly as 
possible, the necessary legislative measures 
and to put in place rigorous effective 
operational instruments to protect the 
populations of Member States; without 
violating human rights and internationally-
acknowledged basic freedoms; 
2. WE AFFIRM our determination to establish 
and strengthen cooperation at sub-regional 
level in our effort to combat the scourge of 
drugs in all its ramifications; 
3. W E ALSO AFFIRM our resolve to accord 
priority in our countries to the war against 
drugs and to allocate the resources needed 
for this purpose; 
4. W E EXPRESS our deep concern over the 
considerable increase in the illicit cultivation 
26 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
of cannabis, a development which will, in the 
long term, the agricultural economies of some 
of our States and undermine our credibility 
internationally. W e also wish to express the 
s a m e c o n c e r n with regard to the ill icit 
production of psychotropic substances; 
5. W E A P P E A L to the international community 
for ass i s tance in v iew of the increas ing 
g lobal isat ion of drug traff icking with the 
attendant implications of our States which are 
being turned into unwil l ing transit points 
because of their geographical location and 
their inadequate facilities for control; 
6. FULLY C O G N I S A N T of the new danger posed 
to our States by the laundering of ill-gotten 
money and the enormous power wielded by 
those involved in the practice, we affirm our 
common determination to adopt the necessary 
measures to protect our national economies; 
7. A W A R E of the shortcomings in our States with 
regard to the treatment of drug addicts, we 
undertake to instate appropriate facilities for 
the treatment and rehabi l i tat ion of drug 
addicts. We shall deploy every effort to find 
ways of optimising local and sub-regional 
expertise in this domain and reducing the cost 
of such treatment; 
8 A W A R E of the enormous resources needed 
for the t rea tmen t of drug u s e r s and 
concerned at the limited means available to 
our States, we undertake to encourage and 
fac i l i ta te by al l m e a n s n e c e s s a r y any 
m e a s u r e s taken by n o n - g o v e r n m e n t a l 
organisat ions, rel igious communi t ies and 
other civil organisations in the areas of drug 
prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, 
9 A W A R E that demand stimulates supply, we 
under take in o rder to c o m b a t d rugs 
effectively, to deploy every effort necessary 
to halt the supply of drugs to the youth. W e 
shall in this connect ion, take appropriate 
m e a s u r e to e n s u r e more e f fec t ive 
surveillance at land, air and sea borders and 
are determined to organise the relevant 
authorities more effectively to enable them 
arresi drug traffickers and confiscate their 
products; 
10. C O N C E R N E D at the alarming increase in the 
abuse of addictive legally-prescribed drugs in 
the sub- reg ion, we sha l l , with a view to 
reducing the demand for them, strive to 
dissuade the youth from resorting to them 
th rough s u s t a i n e d d i s s e m i n a t i o n of 
information and training of adults. W e shall 
endeavour also to evolve a common method 
of ac t ion to p reven t the d i ve rs ion of 
medicaments to illicit uses; 
11. C O N V I N C E D that the drug phenomenon can 
be effectively combated only where there is 
close and constructive cooperation among 
all the institutions involved, we exhort Member 
States to create the necessary environment 
for permanent d ia logue among persons 
responsible for information disseminat ion, 
those involved in tracking down drug addicts, 
therapists and the authorities responsible for 
the prevention of drug abuse and supply; 
12. K E E N L Y A W A R E that drug use poses a threat 
to the economic and social development of 
Member States and their institutions, we call 
upon the United Nations International Drug 
Con t ro l P r o g r a m m e ( U N D C P ) , f r iendly 
countr ies, the entire communi ty of donor 
a g e n c i e s and n o n - g o v e r n m e n t a l 
organisations to afford greater assistance to 
Member States particularly with regard to 
prevention, suppression, treatment and re­
integration; 
13 R E C A L L I N G that in 1993, all countries in the 
sub-region worked together to produce a 
model harmonised national law against drugs 
with sub-regional level. W e urge States which 
have not yet initiated their legislative process 
in this direction to do so without delay, 
14 W E C A L L U P O N Member States yet to do 
so, to ratify forthwith E C O W A S Convention 
A/P1/7/92 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal 
Matters and E C O W A S Convention A/P1/8/94 
on Extradition, 
15 C O N V I N C E D that the effective control of the 
drug scourge in our Sta tes cal ls for the 
establ ishment of dynamic, efficient inter-
min is te r ia l c o m m i t t e e s , we urge our 
Governments to provide these committees 
with the requisite manpower, material and 
27 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
f inancial resources. In particular, we ask 
Member States to ensure that coordinators 
remain at their posts long enough to ensure 
continuity and to provide them with the means 
with which to accomplish their mission; 
16. C O N V I N C E D that reduction in the demand 
and high consumpt ion of drugs in certain 
regions of the world will facilitate eradication 
of this scourge, we call on the United Nations 
to continue its efforts in this direction in areas 
of greater consumption; 
17 W E R E Q U E S T the E C O W A S Execut ive 
Secretariat to forge close cooperation links with 
state interministerial committees in order to 
achieve better coordination of drug control 
activities in the sub-region; 
IN WITNESS W H E R E O F W E , MINISTERS 
RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATION OF DRUG 
CONTROL ACTIVITIES IN MEMBER STATES OF 
THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF W E S T 
AFRICAN S T A T E S HAVE SIGNED THIS 
DECLARATION. 
DONE AT PRAIA, 
THIS 9TH DAY OF MAY, 1997 
(in single original in the English, French and 
Portuguese languages, all texts being equally 
authentic). 
Regina GBACADJA-BADE 
Technical Adviser, Pharmaceutical and Laboratory 
Services for and on behalf of the Minister of Health, 
Social Welfare and Women s Affairs of the Republic 
of Benin. 
Christopher Emmanuel COMPAORE 
for and on behalf of the Minister of Internal Affairs 
and State Security, of Burkina Faso. 
Gomes MONTEIRO-SIMAO 
Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs of the 
Republic of Cabo Verde. 
NANGAYEO 
Director of Cabinet for and on behalf of the 
Minister of Security of the Republic of 
Cote d'lvoire. 
28 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Major Momodou BOJANG (rtd) 
Secretary of State in charge of Interna! and 
Religious Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia. 
Okaija ADAMAFIO 
Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of 
Ghana. 
Ibrahima BA 
Director-General, Ministry of State Security for and 
on behalf of the Minister of State Security of the 
Republic of Guinea. 
Daniel FERREIRA 
Minister of Justice of the Republic of 
Guinea-Bissau. 
Beyan D. HOWARD 
Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of 
Liberia. 
Cherkna D. KAMISSOKO 
Minister of Justice of the Republic of Mali. 
29 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol 33 
Islamic Republic of Mauritania. 
Ambassador Adamu MOHAMMED 
Special Adviser to the Head of State and 
Commander-in-Chief on Drugs and Financial 
Crimes for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 
Finda JONES 
for and on behalf of the Minister of Defence of the 
Republic of Sierra Leone. 
Boubey OUMAROU 
Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Attorney-
General of the Republic of Niger. 
Abdourahmane SOW 
Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of 
Senegal. 
General Seyi Memene NYAWO 
Minister of Internal Affairs and State Security of 
the Togolese Republic. 
30 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS 
Vol. 33 
THE REGIONAL 
PLAN OF ACTION 
PRAIA, 5TH - 9TH MAY, 1997 
31 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol 33 
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE 
FOR COORDINATION OF DRUG C O N T R O L 
ACTIVITIES IN W E S T AFRICA 
THE REGIONAL PLAN OF ACTION 
PRAIA, 5TH - 9TH MAY, 1997 
REGIONAL PLAN OF ACTION AGAINST THE 
ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFIC OF DRUGS AND 
P S Y C H O T R O P I C S U B S T A N C E S IN W E S T 
AFRICA 1997 - 2001 
A. ESTABLISHMENT OR STRENGTHENING OF 
NATIONAL AND REGIONAL STRUCTURES 
FOR POLICY COORDINATION AND 
IMPLEMENTATION. 
I. Action at National Level 
1 S t r e n g t h e n i n g of the in te r -m in is te r ia l 
coord inat ion commi t tees and i nc reased 
survei l lance of drug control activities. The 
Committees will operate with a Permanent 
Secretariat headed by a coordinator who will 
work with specialised commissions and experts. 
The Committees will analyse, initiate, promote 
and coordinate drug control activities. They 
will be equipped with the material, personnel 
and financial resources needed to carry out 
their mission and provision must be made for 
this in the national budget. It is expected that 
these commissions will evolve into a General 
Secretariat for Drug Control. 
2 Establishment of a Central Bureau for the 
Suppression of Narcotics Traffic staffed by 
officers from all agencies involved in drug 
control and equ ipped with the required 
necessary human and material resources and 
with modern communication equipment. 
3. Establishment of a national laboratory run by 
qualified personnel and equipped with the 
requisite equipment. 
4. Setting up of a national drug control data bank 
for data collection, deposit and dissemination 
of information on drugs; with links to the 
competent national and international bodies 
which will be connected to the regional data 
bank. 
II. Action at Regional Level 
1. Strengthening of the E C O W A S Coordination 
Unit against the abuse and illicit traffic of drugs 
and psychotropic substances for: 
— promoting the drug control policy; 
— raising a w a r e n e s s level of polit ical 
authorities at national and regional levels; 
— boosting drug control activities; 
— coordinat ing and harmonis ing drug 
control actions. 
2. Institution of the meet ing of C o u n c i l of 
M i n i s t e r s r e s p o n s i b l e for c o o r d i n a t i n g 
national drug policies whose role will be to 
direct and coordinate the different national 
control programmes within the framework of 
the regional plan of action against drugs. 
3. The establishment and strengthening of the 
regional technical committee for drug control 
in W e s t A f r i c a compr i s i ng exper ts and 
coordinators of inter-ministerial committees. 
They will study issues relating to production 
and illicit traffic of drugs; and the treatment 
and social re-integration of drug addicts. 
4 Establishment of a regional reference and 
training laboratory to train specialists in the 
analysis of seized narcotics and to provide 
technical assistance in this domain. 
5. Strengthening of the Regional Drug Control 
Training Centre (UFDA) in Abidjan, Cote 
d'lvoire which is an institution establ ished 
under Ivohan law with financial contribution 
from international donors especially U N D C P 
and the French Cooperat ion and eventual 
establ ishment of another regional training 
centre. 
6. Publication of a regional liaison bulletin to 
serve as a medium for the dissemination of 
information and documents on drug control 
32 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Due account should be taken of the fact that 
Portuguese is one of the working languages 
of ECOWAS. 
7. Creation of a regional data bank to collect, 
centralise and store data on drug abuse and 
on the illicit traffic in drugs. It will be linked to 
the national drug control data banks. 
B. INTENSIFICATION OF REGIONAL AND 
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION. 
1. Recommend that the competent Community 
decision-making body authorise the 
ECOWAS Executive Secretary to negotiate 
and sign agreements in order to seek funding 
and assistance to Member States with other 
states, and with international governmental 
and non-governmental organisations 
involved in drugs control. 
2. Recommend that the competent Community 
decision-making body authorise the 
ECOWAS Executive Secretary to accede to 
the 1988 United Nations Convention Against 
Illicit Traffic in Narcotics and Psychotropic 
Substances, in conformity with Article 26 
thereof. 
3. Encourage ratification of regional 
conventions on extradition and mutual 
assistance which will be based on the 1988 
United Nations Convention. 
4. Signing of a Regional Convention on money 
laundering and confiscation of proceeds from 
illegal drug trafficking and related offences. 
Action at National Level 
1 Ratification of ECOWAS Convention: 
A/P1/7/92 dated 29th July, 1992 on 
Mutual Assistance in Legal Matters; 
A/P1/8/94 dated 6th August, 1994 on 
Extradition. 
C. ADAPTATION OF A HARMONISED 
LEGISLATION 
1. Adaptation by the end of 1997 of domestic 
laws or a DRUG C O D E , being the draft 
harmonised law adapted within the ECOWAS 
sub-region in the area of drug control. This 
will be implemented with UNDCP assistance. 
2. Adaptation of national laws to the harmonised 
law on money laundering. 
3. Adaptation and strengthening of national 
legislation in line with the harmonised law on 
extradition and judicial cooperation. 
D. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 
Action at National Level 
1. Organisation of multi-disciplinary training 
courses and seminars for the various actors 
involved in drug control. 
2. Establishment and strengthening of a basic 
training or advanced training centre for staff 
of leading departments in the fight against 
drugs. 
3. Adaptation of regulatory texts to ensure that 
trained personnel are maintained at their 
posts long enough to ensure continuity. 
4. Creation of a corps of Jegal personnel 
specialised in drug control. 
E. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEYS ON DRUG 
ABUSE 
Action at National Level 
1. Training of personnel to carry out research 
into the extent of the drug problem. 
2. Organisation of epidemiological surveys 
throughout the country in order to gauge the 
extent of the drug problem. 
F. PREVENTION 
Action at National Level 
1. There is the need to design and execute a 
viable training programme, UNDCP and/or 
ECOWAS to encourage and to ensure a 
comprehensive training programme for all 
33 
August 1997 Official journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
those involved with drug prevention activities 
be they teachers, nurses, NGOs and 
Community personnel at national, sub-
regional and inter-state levels. 
2. A clear and sustained public awareness 
programme is now more crucial than ever 
before as a means to effectively galvanize 
grassroots support and mobilise specific 
target groups. Such programmes should be 
contained with a policy framework. Public 
awareness should be heightened through the 
appropriate means that will effectively bring 
the message to all levels of society. 
3. Each interministerial committee shall be 
required to create, improve and strengthen 
formal and/or informal drug abuse prevention 
education in schools, through direct teaching, 
debates, formation of Drug-Free Clubs, quiz 
competitions, etc... 
4. Interministerial committees shall encourage 
NGOs, religious, cultural and community 
groups to be actively involved in solving drug 
problems; and international NGOs shall be 
contacted to help with prevention 
programmes through UNDCP, OAU, ECOWAS 
or by individual states. 
5 E C O W A S Ministers further recognise the 
important role of NGOs in drug control 
matters in our sub-region and therefore 
request that interministerial committees be 
encouraged through their political leaders, 
ECOWAS, UNDCP and other international 
organisations to enhance the activities of 
regional associations of NGOs to foster the 
regional integration in keeping with UN 
prevention objectives. 
6 The Ministers recommend that drug 
prevention shall be accorded the deserved 
priority. 
7 ECOWAS Ministers recommend further that 
a policy of crop substitution be pursued where 
cannabis is produced. 
8 UNCDP, ECOWAS. OAU and/or Member 
States of the West African sub-region to 
encourage the establishment of poverty-
alleviation programmes by relevant 
governmental bodies. 
9. In view of the foregoing, interministerial 
committees shall be encouraged to show 
evidence of engaging in systematised 
research and evaluation of their programmes. 
G. HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECTOR 
Action at National Level 
1. Organisation of training courses and 
seminars for medical, paramedical and social 
services personnel. 
2. Establishment of a consultation centre to offer 
treatment to drug addicts. 
3. Establishment of vocational centres to 
facilitate rehabilitation of drug abuse victims. 
4. Preparation of a national policy for the 
treatment and social reintegration of drug 
abuse victims that take account of African 
social and cultural values. 
H. FINANCING THE PLAN OF ACTION 
Action at National Level 
I. Inclusion of activities envisaged in the Plan 
of Action within the general economic and 
social development programme and 
allocation of funds for such activities in 
national budgets and investment 
programmes. 
2. Negotiation and signing of financing 
agreements with international donors to 
obtain funding for the implementation of 
activities contained in the Plan of Action. 
Action at Regional Level 
1. Establishment of a regional drug control fund 
with contributions from Member States, local 
communities and regional and international 
donors. 
34 
August 1997 Official Journal Of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
I. ADOPTION OF THE PLAN OF ACTION 
On May 9th, 1997, a plenary meeting was 
held to consider the recommendations of the 
sub-regional experts with the objective of 
deciding the appropriateness of including 
them in a Plan of Action. Having considered 
the recommendations presented by the 
rapporteurs, the conference decided that the 
recommendations should be included in the 
Plan of Action. 
This Plan of Action was adopted unanimously 
by the Conference of Ministers. 
35 
Augusi 1997 Official journal ol ECOWAS Vol. 33 
REGULATION C/REG.1/8/97 RELATING TO THE 
RE-STRUCTURING OF THE ECOWAS FUND 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
S ta tes ( E C O W A S ) es tab l ish ing the C o u n c i l of 
Ministers and defining its composition and functions; 
M I N D F U L of D e c i s i o n s C / D E C . 2 / 6 / 8 8 and A / 
DEC.10/6 /89 of the Authority of Heads of State and 
Government relating to the Study on Enhancing 
the Financial Resources of the E C O W A S Fund; 
M I N D F U L of Dec is ion C / D E C . 1 / 7 / 9 5 relating to 
Enhancing the Financial Resources of the E C O W A S 
Fund ; 
C O N S I D E R I N G the Recommendat ion of the ninth 
meeting of the A d hoc Ministerial Committee on the 
Enhancement of the Financial Resources of the 
E C O W A S Fund held in Lome from 5th to 6th March, 
1997; 
ENACTS 
Article 1 
a) T h e M a n a g e m e n t of the F u n d is 
he reby au tho r i sed to under take a 
feasibility study on the transformation 
of the Fund taking into account the 
development and regional integration 
objectives of the Community. 
b) The terms of reference of the study 
shall be prepared by the Management 
of the Fund and shall be submitted to 
the Ad hoc Ministerial Committee for 
consideration. 
c) The draft transitional organigram of the 
Fund adopted by the Ad hoc Ministerial 
Commi t t ee is hereby approved a s 
attached. 
d) The proposal for re-deployment and 
reduction of staff numbers in order to 
e n n a n c e e f f i c i ency and e l im ina te 
redundancy is hereby approved. This 
is to be done by Management under 
the supervision of the A d hoc Ministerial 
Committee. 
e) T h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n s c h e d u l e 
recommended by the Ad hoc Ministerial 
C o m m i t t e e is he reby a p p r o v e d as 
attached. 
Article 2 
The addit ional budget amounting to US$82 ,500 
(Eighty-two thousand, five hundred United States 
Do l la rs ) for staf f t ra in ing re la t ing to the re­
structuring of the Fund is hereby approved. This 
amount shall be included on a yearly basis in the 
operating budgets for 1998 and 1999. 
Article 3 
The Managemen t of the F u n d is author ised to 
convene four (4) meetings of Experts and Ministers 
of the Ad-hoc Committee to facilitate the supervision 
of the n e c e s s a r y f o l l ow -up a c t i o n s on the 
implementat ion of the re-structur ing exerc ise . 
T h e s e m e e t i n g s s h a l l be f i n a n c e d f rom the 
con t i ngenc ies vote in the or ig inal ly app roved 
budgets for the re-structuring exercise. 
Article 4 
This Regulation shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of the Counci l of Ministers. 
Jt shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON. AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
36 
August 1997 Official Journal Of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
37 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE FOR 
T H E E N H A N C E M E N T OF T H E FINANCIAL 
RESOURCES OF THE FUND BY THE AD HOC 
MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE 
PHASE 1 
July 1997 
i. Authority Decision stipulating payment of 
arrears as a precondition for the opening-
up of the capital to non-regionals; 
ii. Authority Decision requesting Member 
States to clear all arrears before the end 
of 1998, since there is no doubt that a large 
majority of Member States will not meet the 
deadline of 31st December, 1997; 
iii. Strict application during the transitional 
phase of the provisions of Article 25 and 
26 of he Protocol relating to the FUND'S 
Board of Directors and its procedure, 
(Annex 12); 
iv Authority Decision accepting the principle 
that the FUND be transformed into an 
E C O W A S Investment Bank with a soft 
window for integration projects; 
v. Authorisation of a detailed feasibility study 
on the creation of ECOWAS Investment 
Bank with a soft window; 
vi. Approval of the transitional organisational 
chart adopted by the Ad Hoc Ministerial 
Committee; 
vii. Approval of the re-deployment and 
adjustment of the size of staff in order to 
enhance effectiveness and efficiency; 
viii. Approval of the training of staff of the FUND. 
August 1997 - July 1998 
i. Re-deployment and adjustment of the size 
of staff. 
ii. Continuation of the computerisation 
exercise of the FUND. 
iii. Training of Staff 
iv. Preparation of Terms of Reference of the 
feasibility study and choice of consulting 
firm. 
v. Preparations of the feasibility study on the 
creation of ECOWAS Investment Bank with 
concessional window. 
PHASE 2 
July 1998 
Approval of the conclusion and 
recommendations of the feasibility study. 
August 1998 - June 1999 
Delegation of authority to the Ad hoc 
Ministerial Committee and the Management 
of the FUND to enter into preliminary 
contracts with prospective non regional 
financial partners and Eminent persons. 
- Identification and approval of the choice of 
Eminent persons who will be designated 
within or outside the sub-region to seek 
potential non-regional partners and 
financial resources. 
Preparation of draft Staff regulations. 
Training of Staff. 
Preparation of promotion document. 
Preparation of Legal framework, policies 
and procedures of the New bank. 
Preparation of the strategic plan of the New 
Bank. 
Identification of potential non-regional 
partners. 
July 1999 
Approval of the absorption of te project 
financing aspect of the SFT into the New 
Bank. 
Approval of conversion of the current capital 
into share capitals. 
38 
August 1997 OMIctal Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Approval of legal framework, policies and 
procedures of the new bank including draft 
Staff regulations. 
PHASE 3 
August 1999 - December 1999 
Mission of Eminent Person. 
Finanlisation of negotiations. 
D o n o r ' s c o n f e r e n c e (call for shares 
subscription) 
General assembly of the Shareholders. 
Appointment of Board of Governors. 
Appointment of new Board of Directors. 
Choice and constitution of the committee 
of eminent persons and representative of 
reputable organisations. 
2 January 2000 
Commencement of the activities of the New 
Bank. 
REGULATION C/REG.2/8/97 AUTHORISING THE 
RECRUITMENT OF THREE INTERPRETERS AND 
A COST ACCOUNTANT FOR THE ECOWAS FUND 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States (ECOWAS) establishing the Council of Ministers 
and defining its composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Recommendation of the Administration 
and Finance Commission on freezing of all new posts 
adopted by the Counci l of Ministers at its thirty-sixth 
session held in Lome from 15th to 17th December, 
1994; 
C O N S I D E R I N G the Recommendat ion of the thirty-
seventh session of the Board of Directors of the 
E C O W A S Fund held in Abuja, from 20th to 21st 
August, 1997; 
ENACTS 
Article 1 
The Management of the E C O W A S Fund is hereby 
authorised to recruit two French/English Interpreters, 
o n e E n g l i s h / F r e n c h In terpreter and a C o s t 
Accoun tan t in the L a n g u a g e and Accoun t i ng 
Divisions of the E C O W A S Fund, respectively. 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its signature by the Chairman 
of the Council of Ministers. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON. AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
39 
AuguS 1957 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 
REGULATION C/REG.3/8/97 RELATING TO THE DONE AT ABUJA, 
REGULARISATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
SITUATION OF ACCOUNTING C L E R K S "G3" 
RECRUITED B E F O R E NOVEMBER, 1991 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States (ECOWAS) establishing the Council of Ministers 
and defining its composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Decision C/DEC.2/11/91 on the 
Adoption of the Scheme of Service for the Staff of 
the Institutions of the Community; 
HON. AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
CONSIDERING the Recommendation of the thirty-
seventh session of the Board of Directors of the 
ECOWAS Fund held in Abuja from 20th to 21st 
August, 1997; 
ENACTS 
Article 1 
The Management of the ECOWAS Fund is hereby 
authorised to regularise, with effect from 1 st January, 
1997, the administrative situation of the four (4) 
Accounts Clerks on grade "G3" who are already 
working at the Fund and reflect the change in their 
salaries in conformity with the new Scheme of Service 
for Staff of the Community Institutions. 
Article 2 
R E G U L A T I O N C / R E G . 4/8/97 ON THE 
FINANCING OF DRUG CONTROL ACTIVITIES 
This Regulation shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its signature by the Chairman 
of the Council of Ministers. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States (ECOWAS) establishing the Council of 
Ministers and defining its composition and functions; 
RECALLING the deep concern expressed by the 
nineteenth session of the Authority of Heads of 
State and Government at the increase in drug 
trafficking and the related criminality; 
WELCOMING the adoption, by the Conference of 
Ministers responsible for coordinating drug control 
activities, of a political declaration and a five-year 
40 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
regional plan of action to be implemented with effect 
from 1997; 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
CONSIDERING the plan of action is designed for the 
implementat ion of concer ted and coord ina ted , 
strategies for crime prevention and repression, the 
treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts; 
A W A R E that judicious implementation of the plan of 
action necessitates allocation of adequate resources; 
C O N V I N C E D of the need for the sub-region itself to 
undertake, in the area of drug and drug-related crime 
control , ac t ions that can be encou raged and 
supported by the international community; 
HON. AYO OGUN LADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
ENACTS 
Article 1 
Al locat ion of O n e hundred and fifty thousand 
(150,000) Units of Accounts shall be granted to 
the Regional Fund for the financing of drug control 
activities. 
Art ic le 2 
Member S ta tes sha l l g ive full suppor t to the 
imp lemen ta t i on of the p lan of ac t i on by 
underpinning the activities of the inter-ministerial 
committees on the control of drug abuse. 
Article 3 
The Executive Secretary shall be responsible for 
monitoring effectively the implementation of the 
political declarat ion and the plan of action and 
report to the Counci l of Ministers on the progress 
made, the difficulties encountered and the measures 
that should be taken to ensure the realisation of the 
objectives of the aforementioned declaration and 
plan. 
Art'de 4 
This Regulation shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its signature by the Chairman 
of the Council of Ministers. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
REGULATION C/REG.5/8/97 RELATING TO 
THE CONDITIONS FOR THE PAYMENT OF A 
SUBSIDY TO THE ECOWAS NATIONAL UNITS 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ish ing the Counc i l of 
Ministers and defining its composition and functions; 
C O N S I D E R I N G Resolut ion A / R E S . 1 / 8 / 9 4 of the 
Authori ty of Heads of State and Gove rnmen t 
relating to the payment modal i t ies of f inancial 
obligations owed by Member States to the Institutions 
of the Community; 
41 
Augusi 1997 Otticial JoumoJ ot ECOWAS 
A W A R E that the C o u n c i l gave app rova l in 
November, 1989 to grant subsidy to the national 
units of only Member States that were current with 
the payment of their contributions to the operational 
budget of the Executive Secretariat; 
C O N S I D E R I N G that the granting of subsidy to the 
national units would enable them to acquire a 
minimum of equipment and material to make them 
optimally functional in carrying out their task of 
ensuring implementation of E C O W A S Programmes 
and Decisions; 
DESIRING to encourage Member States to pay up 
their arrears of contributions; 
On the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the twentieth 
m e e t i n g of the A d m i n i s t r a t i o n and F i n a n c e 
Commission held in Abuja from 15th to 19th August, 
1997, 
ENACTS 
Article 1 
A subsidy in the -mount of ten thousand {10 000) 
Units of Account shall be granted to the E C O W A S 
national unit for each year of contributions settled 
by its Member State regardless of the date of 
settlement. 
Article 2 
The Executive Secretariat shall pay subsidies in 
respect of 1990 - 1996 f inancia l years out of 
amounts recovered as arrears. 
Article 3 
The subsidy shall be channelled into the acquisition 
of machinery, equipment and materials required for 
the functioning of the E C O W A S national units. 
Article 4 
This Regulation shall be published by the Executive 
Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community 
within thirty (30) days of its s ignature by the 
Chairman of the Counci l of Ministers. 
It shall also be published within the same time-frame 
by each Member State in its National Gazette. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON.AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
42 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal or ECOWAS VcJ. 33 
RECOMMENDATION C/REC.1/8/97 ON THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AD HOC MONITORING 
COMMITTEE FOR THE CREATION OF A SINGLE 
MONETARY ZONE BY THE YEAR 2000 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States (ECOWAS) establishing the Council of 
Ministers and defining its composition and functions; 
RECALLING Decision A/DEC.6/5/83 of 30th May, 
1983 relating to the proposed establishment of an 
ECOWAS Single Monetary Zone; 
MINDFUL of Decision A/DEC,2/7/87 of 9th July, 
1987 relating to the adoption of an ECOWAS 
Monetary Cooperation Programme with the 
objective of establishing a Single Monetary Zone; 
NOTING the significant macro-economic reform 
measures that have been made by many Member 
States to revitalise their national economies 
particularly, in the area of exchange control 
liberalisation, the adoption of market determined 
exchange rates and reduction of fiscal deficits as 
well as inflation; 
C O N C E R N E D however, by the slow pace of 
implementation of certain aspects of the Monetary 
Cooperation Programme; 
DESIROUS of accelerating the implementation of 
sound economic management policies at national 
levels required for the achievement of a viable 
Single Monetary Zone by the target date of the year 
2000; 
On the PROPOSALS of the twenty-first meeting of 
the Committee of Governors of Central Banks of 
Member States held in Conakry on 15th and 16th 
May, 1997; 
RECOMMENDS to the Authority of Heads of State 
and Government to adopt the attached Draft 
Decision establishing an Ad-hoc Monitoring 
Committee for the creation of a Single Monetary 
Zone by the year 2000. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON.AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
RECOMMENDATION C/REC. 2/8/97 RELATING 
TO THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE FINANCIAL 
RESOURCES OF ECOWAS FUND 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States (ECOWAS) establishing the Council of 
Ministers and defining its composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Decisions A/DEC.2/6/88 and A/ 
DEC.10/6/89 of the Authority of Heads of State 
and Government relating to the Study on Enhancing 
the Financial Resources of the ECOWAS Fund; 
MINDFUL of Decision C/DEC. 1/7/95 relating to the 
Enhancement of the Financial Resources of the 
ECOWAS Fund; 
CONSIDERING the Report of the Ad hoc Ministerial 
43 
August IW7 Official Journal ol ECOWAS Vol. 33 
Committee on the Enhancement of the Financial 
Resources of the Fund; 
RECOMMENDS to the Authority of Heads of State 
and G o v e r n m e n t to adopt the a t tached Draft 
D e c i s i o n relat ing to the E n h a n c e m e n t of the 
Financial Resources of the E C O W A S Fund. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON. AYO OG UN LADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
R E C O G N I S I N G that it is necessary to implement 
the second E C O W A S Telecommunications Priority 
Programme known as I N T E L C O M II; 
R E C O G N I S I N G that d i rect in terconnect ion of 
E C O W A S coun t r i es by m o d e r n and feas ib le 
telecommunicat ions systems remains a cardinal 
condition for sub-regional economic integration; 
M INDFUL of the institutional changes within the 
telecommunications sector which have led to the 
emergence of private operators; 
NOTING the diversity of the technological standards 
applied in the installation of telecommunicat ions 
infrastructures in the Wes t African sub-region, 
NOTING also the existence of short, medium and 
long-term te lecommunica t ions master p lans in 
Member States; 
C O N S I D E R I N G the need to have a modern and 
reliable regional telecommunications network for the 
sustained economic development of West Africa; 
On the P R O P O S A L S of the second meeting of 
E C O W A S Ministers of Telecommunications held in 
Lome on 11th July. 1997; 
RECOMMENDS to the Authority of Heads of State 
and G o v e r n m e n t to adopt the a t tached draft 
D e c i s i o n l a u n c h i n g the S e c o n d E C O W A S 
T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Pr io r i t y P r o g r a m m e 
(INTELCOMII). 
RECOMMENDATION C/REC.3/8/97 ON THE 
SECOND ECOWAS TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
PRIORITY PROGRAMME (INTELCOM II) 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States (ECOWAS) establishing the Council of Ministers 
and defining its composition and functions; 
RECOGNIS ING that the INTELCOM I programme has 
fulfilled the expectations of Member States; 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON. AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
44 
August 1997 OHIcial Journal of ECOWAS vol 33 
RECOMMENDATION C/REC. 4/8/97 RELATING 
TO THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF DRUG 
ABUSE IN WEST AFRICA 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
S ta tes ( E C O W A S ) es tab l ish ing the Counc i l of 
Ministers and defining its composition and functions; 
B E A R I N G IN MIND the Organisation of African 
Uni ty 's Dec la ra t i on and P l a n of Ac t ion A H G / 
Decl.2(XXXIII) on the abuse and illicit trafficking of 
drugs in Afr ica; 
B E A R I N G IN MIND also the wish expressed in Abuja 
on 27th July, 1996 by E C O W A S Heads of State and 
Government to give impetus to waging a more 
energetic and better coordinated war against the 
drug phenomenon and related criminal activities in 
West Africa; 
A L A R M E D at the disastrous social consequences 
of the abuse of narcotic drugs in the sub-region, 
pa r t i cu la r l y a m o n g the youth w h o s e s t a b l e 
deve lopment is imperat ive for the progress of 
M e m b e r S t a t e s a n d for the bu i l d ing of the 
Communi ty ; 
C O N S I D E R I N G the enormous human and materia' 
costs of drug abuse and its pernicious effects on 
people's health, on the economies and financial 
systems of Member States, and on their fundamental 
social values; 
A W A R E of the fact that inadequate facil it ies in 
Member States often militate against the formulation 
of coherent multi-sectoral national policies which 
can effectively combat and eliminate illicit drugs in 
the sub-region; 
C O N V I N C E D of the pressing need for a concerted 
and coordinated approach towards drug prevention 
and control as well as the resultant upsurge in 
criminal activities; 
R E - A F F I R M I N G the responsibility assigned in this 
connect ion to the United Nat ions Drug Control 
Programme (UNDCP) ; 
D E T E R M I N E D to get Member States, through a 
Community Declaration, to prevent and combat the 
drug phenomenon and to prepare a practical and 
workable plan of action for the sub-region; 
RECOMMENDS to the Authority of Heads of State 
and Government to adopt the attached Polit ical 
Declaration and Plan of Action on Drugs in the 
African Sub-region. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON. AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
RECOMMENDATION C / R E C . 5/8/97 ON THE 
AWARD OF T H E E C O W A S PRIZE FOR 
E X C E L L E N C E IN AFRICAN PHARMACOPEIA 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ish ing the Counc i l of 
Ministers and defining its composition and functions; 
MINDFUL of Decision A/DEC.14/5 /82 establishing 
the E C O W A S Prize for Excel lence; 
45 
August K97 Official Journal o( ECOWAS Vol 33 
MINDFUL of Decision A /DEC.2 /7 /92 approving the 
rules and regulations of the E C O W A S Pr ize for 
Excel lence in African pharmacopoeia; 
MINDFUL of Decision C / D E C 6/12/93 appointing the 
members of the Jury for the E C O W A S Prize for 
Excellence in the field of African pharmacopoeia, 
On the R E C O M M E N D A T I O N of the International 
Jury for the award of the E C O W A S Pr ize for 
Excel lence, 
RECOMMENDS to the Authority of Heads of State 
and Government to adopt the draft Decision on the 
award of the E C O W A S Prize for Excellence in the 
field of African pharmacopoeia. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON. AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
RECOMMENDATION C / R E C . 6/8/97 ON THE 
URGENT APPLICATION OF THE COMMUNITY 
LEVY 
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, 
MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Revised 
Treaty of the Economic Community of West African 
States ( E C O W A S ) establ ish ing the Counc i l of 
Ministers and defining its composition and functions; 
C O N S I D E R I N G that all measures taken to date, to 
prevail upon Member States to meet their financial 
obl igations to the Communi ty have not proved 
particularly successful ; 
C O N S I D E R I N G the provisions of Protocol A/P.1/7/ 
96 on conditions governing the application of the 
Community levy; 
R E C A L L I N G its appeal made on 27th July, 1996 to 
ratify the protocol on the Community levy before 
31s t D e c e m b e r , 1996 a n d to i m p l e m e n t its 
provisions as from 1st January, 1997; 
NOTING that, as at 30th June, 1997, no instrument 
of ratification had been deposited with the Executive 
Secretariat in respect of the said Protocol; 
C O N S I D E R I N G that the absence of self-generated 
funds poses a serious obstacle to the functioning 
of the Communi ty institutions and retards the 
regional integration process; 
RECOMMENDS to the Authority of Heads of State 
and Government to adopt the draft Resolut ion 
hereto attached on the urgent application of the 
Community levy. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
HON. AYO OGUNLADE 
CHAIRMAN, 
FOR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
46 
Augusi 1997 Otticial Journal of ECOWAS Vol 33 
TWENTIETH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE 
AUTHORITY OF H E A D S OF S T A T E AND 
GOVERNMENT 
ABUJA, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA 
2 8 T H - 2 9 T H A U G U S T , 1997 
FINAL COMMUNIQUE 
1. The Au thor i t y of H e a d s of S ta te and 
Government of the Economic Community of 
West Afr ican States ( E C O W A S ) held its 
Twentieth Ordinary Session in Abuja, Federal 
R e p u b l i c of N ige r i a , on 28th and 29th 
August, 1997 underthe Chairmanship of His 
Excellency. General Sani Abacha, Head of 
State, Commander- in-Chief of the Armed 
Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 
2 Present at the sess ion were the following 
Heads of State and Government or their duly 
accredited representatives: 
His Excel lency, Mathieu K E R E K O U , 
President of the Republic of BENIN; 
His Excel lency, Bla ise C O M P A O R E , 
President of F A S O , Chairman of the 
Council of Ministers BURKINA FASO; 
His Excellency, Colonel Yahya A J .J 
J A M M E H , President of the Republic of 
The GAMBIA: 
3 
H is E x c e l l e n c y , F l t -L t Je r ry J o h n 
R A W L I N G S (Rtd), President of the 
Republic of G H A N A , 
His Excellency, General Lansana CONTE, 
President of the Republic of GUINEA; 
His Excellency, General Joao Bernardo 
VIEIRA, President of the Republic of 
GUINEA BISSAU, 
His Excellency, Charles Ghankay TAYLOR, 
President of the Republic of LIBERIA, 
His Excellency. Alpha Oumar K O N A R E , 
President of the Republic of MALI; 
H i s E x c e l l e n c y , G e n e r a l Ib rah im 
Ma inassa ra B A R E , President of the 
Republic of NIGER; 
His Excellency, General Sani A B A C H A , 
Head of State and C o m m a n d e r - i n -
Ch ie f of the A r m e d F o r c e s of the 
Federal Republ ic of NIGERIA; 
His Excellency, Ahmad Tejan K A B B A H , 
President of the Republ ic of S I E R R A 
L E O N E ; 
His Excellency, Genera l Gnass ingbe 
E Y A D E M A , P r e s i d e n t of the 
T O G O L E S E Republic; 
His Excellency, Habib THIAM. Pr ime 
Minister of the Republic of S E N E G A L ; 
T h e H o n o u r a b l e , Dr. A l e x a n d r e 
M O N T E I R O , S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e , 
Min is ter of C o m m e r c e , Industry & 
Tourism, representing the Prime Minister 
and Head of Government of C A B O 
VERDE; 
The Honourable, Amara E S S Y , Minister 
of Foreign Affairs, representing the 
President of C O T E D' lVOIRE; 
The Honourable Abdellahi Ould N E M , 
Minister of Commerce, Handicraft and 
Tourism, representing the President of 
the Islamic Republic of MAURITANIA. 
Attending the twentieth session as observers 
were . 
T h e S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l of the 
Organisation of African Unity (OAU); 
The Assistant Secretary-General of the 
Un i ted Na t i ons , r ep resen t i ng the 
S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l of the Un i ted 
Nations; 
The Cha i rman of the Commit tee of 
Governors of Central Banks of West 
Africa, 
The Director General of the West African 
Monetary Agency (WAMA) , 
47 
August 1997 Official Journal ot ECOWAS Vol. 33 
The Pres iden t of the W e s t Af r ican 
Development Bank (BOAD); 
The President of ECOBANK Transnational 
Incorporated (ETI); 
The Pres ident of the Federat ion of 
Wes t African Chambers of Commerce 
(FWACC) , 
The Secre ta ry -Genera l of the W e s t 
African Women's Association (WAWA); 
The Deputy Governor of the Central 
Bank of West African States (BCEAO) ; 
The Director General of F A G A C E ; 
The Representative of the Economic 
and Monetary Union of W e s t Afr ica 
(UEMOA); 
The Representative of the West African 
R i c e D e v e l o p m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n 
(WARDA); 
The Rep resen ta t i ve of the A f r i can 
Development Bank (ADB); 
The Representative of the Pan-Afr ican 
News Agency (PANA); 
The Representative of the African Centre 
for Monetary Studies (ACMS) ; 
The Representative of the World Bank, 
The Representative of the International 
Monetary Fund (IMF); 
The Representat ive of the European 
Union (EU); 
The Represen ta t i ve of the Is lamic 
Development Bank (IDB), 
The Representative of the United Nations 
Development Programme (UNDP); 
The Representative of the United Nations 
Educat iona l , Scient i f ic and Cultural 
Organisation (UNESCO); 
The R e p r e s e n t a t i v e of the Un i ted 
N a t i o n s Indus t r ia l D e v e l o p m e n t 
Organisation (UNIDO); 
The Representative of the United Nations 
Conference on Trade and Development 
(UNCTAD); 
The Representat ive of the Food and 
Agriculture Organisation (FAO); 
The Representative of the United Nations 
High C o m m i s s i o n e r for R e f u g e e s 
(UNHCR); 
The Representative of the United Nations 
Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL); 
The Representative of the United Nations 
Drug Control Programme ( U N D C P ) ; 
A n d a l a r g e n u m b e r of H i g h 
C o m m i s s i o n e r s and A m b a s s a d o r s 
accredited to the Federal Republ ic of 
Nigeria, 
THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN WEST AFRICA 
4. Heads of State and Government noted with 
satisfaction that over the past few years, 
m o s t E C O W A S c o u n t r i e s h a v e m a d e 
significant advances in the development of 
political institutions and economic structures, 
as a result of which the region recorded an 
appreciable economic growth rate of about 
4 %, which is above the rate of population 
growth. 
5. The Authority stressed that the monetary, 
budgetary, and structural policies needed to 
promote strong and posit ive growth are 
complementary and mutually re-inforcing. 
The Heads of State and Government also 
emphasised the need to implement sound 
m a c r o - e c o n o m i c po l i c i es wh ich wou ld 
consolidate the successes achieved by most 
E C O W A S Member States in the areas of 
inflation control, monetary discipl ine and 
improved adjustment policies, all of which are 
necessary for the harmonisation of economic 
and financial policies of E C O W A S countries 
48 
August 1W7 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
6. The Authority took note and expressed its 
appreciation of the recent initiative by the 
international community to resolve the debt 
prob lems {including multi lateral debt) of 
heav i l y i ndeb ted poor coun t r ies . The 
Authority noted with regret however that the 
criteria for eligibility are so strict that only 
two E C O W A S Member States qualify. It 
therefore a p p e a l e d to the internat ional 
community to make the criteria for eligibility 
more flexible to enable more countries in the 
region to benefit from the initiative. 
LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR 
WEST AFRICA 
7. Heads of State and Government exchanged 
views on the future perspectives of the West 
African economy. Convinced that significant 
d e v e l o p m e n t c o u l d only be a c h i e v e d 
through a conscious and sustained effort at 
manag ing the nat iona l e c o n o m i e s , the 
Authority urged all Member States to embark 
on f o rmu la t i ng s t ra teg i c long- te rm 
development frameworks such as initiated 
in Cote d'lvoire under the African Elephant 
Programme, in Ghana as Vision 2020 and 
m Nigeria as Vision 2010. 
8 Heads of State and Government re-affirmed 
their belief that national development could 
only succeed if conceived within a regional 
framework It was therefore proposed that 
national long-term development frameworks 
should be formulated, based on a regional 
a p p r o a c h The Author i ty d i rec ted the 
Execut ive Secretary, in collaboration with 
M e m b e r S t a t e s and the re levant 
international institutions to complete the 
fo rmu la t ion of the E C O W A S reg iona l 
development programme. 
9 In this r e g a r d . H e a d s of S t a t e and 
Government welcomed the re-negotiation of 
the Lome Convention in September, 1998 as 
an opportunity to enhance the contribution 
of European Union assistance to West African 
development The Authority fully endorsed 
the declaration on future A C P / E U relations 
made in May, 1997 at Lome by West African 
national authorising officers. That declaration 
s t r e s s e d that future E u r o p e a n Un ion 
assis tance to E C O W A S countries should 
focus on promoting West African integration. 
Heads of State and Government called upon 
the other development partners, especially 
the A D B , U N D P , W o r l d B a n k and the 
International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide 
long-term deve lopmen t a s s i s t a n c e that 
fosters West African integration. 
MONETARY INTEGRATION PROGRAMME 
10. Heads of State and Government re-affirmed 
their full commitment to regional monetary 
integration and the eventual adoption of a 
single West African currency. They expressed 
satisfaction with the progress made during 
the year regarding the harmonisat ion of 
national economic and financial policies. In 
order to accelerate the achievement of the 
objective of a single monetary zone by the 
year 2000, the Authority created an ad hoc 
monitoring committee comprising the five 
Heads of State of Cote d'lvoire, Ghana, Mali, 
Nigeria and Togo On the basis of technical 
reports and proposals submitted to it, the 
C o m m i t t e e wou ld g ive pe r i od i c po l i cy 
directives and new orientations to facilitate 
compliance by Member States with the agreed 
mone ta ry and f i nanc i a l ta rge ts . T h e 
Committee would also give the necessary 
political support to the programme and foster 
the mobilisation of the support required from 
relevant international organisations for the 
e x e c u t i o n of the E C O W A S mone ta ry 
integration programme. 
LAUNCHING OF E C O W A S T R A V E L L E R S ' 
CHEQUE 
11. Heads of Stale and Government considered 
w a y s of fac i l i ta t ing in t ra- C o m m u n i t y 
payments as a means of enhancing regional 
t ransac t ions The Author i ty ag reed to 
c o m p l e m e n t the p a y m e n t s se t t l ement 
scheme of the West African Monetary Agency 
(WAMA) through the introduction of E C O W A S 
travellers cheque. It was decided therefore 
that the E C O W A S travellers' cheque should 
be launched at the next meet ing of the 
Committee of Governors of Central Banks, 
scheduled to take place towards the end of 
the year 
49 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal ot ECOWAS Vol. 33 
E N H A N C E M E N T O F T H E FINANCIAL 
RESOURCES OF THE ECOWAS FUND 
12. Heads of State and Government recalled their 
decision in 1987 to open equity participation 
in the Fund's capital to non-regionals. After a 
review of proposals submitted on the matter, 
the Authority agreed, in principle, that the 
Fund should be transformed into a more 
commercia l ly-or iented institution, without 
losing sight of its development and integration 
objectives. The management of the Fund 
was, therefore, directed to commiss ion a 
feasibil ity study to determine the type of 
financial institution that the E C O W A S Fund 
should be transformed into. 
APPLICATION OF THE COMMUNITY LEVY 
13. Heads of State and Government expressed 
concern over the poor performance of the 
Community institutions which was due partly 
to the inadequacy of f inancial resources, 
arising from the irregular payment of Member 
States contributions . It was recalled that, as 
a solution to this financial problem, the Revised 
Treaty provides for a Communi ty levy, to 
replace direct budgetary contributions by 
Member States. 
a d v a n c e s in the g loba l c o m m u n i c a t i o n 
system. Expressing its satisfaction with the 
successful completion of the first phase of the 
E C O W A S regional network, the Authority 
adopted the second phase of the West African 
t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s d e v e l o p m e n t 
programme, INTELCOM II. 
16. This E C O W A S programme will modernise and 
e x p a n d the s e r v i c e s of the 
t e l ecommun i ca t i ons sec to r through full 
digitalization and installation of other modern 
facilities, as well as an increase in telephone 
density. The programme is to ensure intra-
C o m m u n i t y t rans i t , i n t e r - c o n n e c t i o n , 
uniformity and compatibility. The programme 
therefore provides the requisite regulatory 
f r a m e w o r k a n d the a d o p t i o n of o the r 
convergence criteria. Heads of State and 
Government welcomed the emphasis that the 
p r o g r a m m e g i v e s to p r i va te s e c t o r 
participation and the commercial isat ion of 
retained public enterprises The international 
financial institutions were invited to give their 
ful l suppor t to the i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of 
INTELCOMII. 
PREVENTION AND C O N T R O L O F D R U G 
ABUSE IN THE WEST AFRICAN REGION 
14. The Authority deplored the very slow pace of 
ratification of the Protocol on the application 
of the Community levy which had not made 
it possible for the levy to be introduced in 
January, 1997. Desirous of generating, as soon 
as possible, sufficient resources for revitalising 
the West African integration process, Heads 
of State and Government passed a Resolution 
urging all Member States to ratify this protocol 
immediately and include the Community levy 
in their 1998 budget statements, so that the 
imposition of the levy could commence in 
January, 1998. 
17. Heads of State and Government expressed 
concern over the rapid spread of drug abuse 
in West Africa and the increasing role of the 
region as a transit centre for international drug 
trafficking. The Authority approved the Praia 
Political Declaration and Plan of Action which 
give fresh impetus to waging a more rigorous 
and coordinated war against drugs in the West 
A f r i c a n r e g i o n . H e a d s of S t a t e and 
Government appealed to the United Nations 
Drug Control Programme and other relevant 
agencies to increase theii" support for drug 
control in West Africa. 
LAUNCHING OF PHASE II OF THE ECOWAS 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROGRAMME 
15. Heads of State and Government reviewed the 
status of the development of the regional 
te lecommunicat ions network against the 
b a c k g r o u n d of the recent t r e m e n d o u s 
C R O S S - B O R D E R CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES 
18 The Authority expressed concern over the 
increasing incidence of cross-border criminal 
activities and stressed the need to mount a 
coordinated campaign against this menace. 
50 
August 1997 Official Journal of ECOWAS Vol. 33 
REGIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY 
19. Heads of State and Government re-affirmed 
their determination to create within West 
Afr ica a peaceful and stable environment 
necessary for sustained development and 
reg iona l i n teg ra t i on . T h e Author i t y 
commended the Liberian people for putting 
behind them the traumatic experience of the 
civil war and conducting peaceful elections 
on a multi-party basis. Heads of State and 
Government recognising the need to sustain 
peace and development in Liberia, urged the 
people of the Republ ic of Liberia, Member 
States of E C O W A S , and the international 
community as a whole to support Liberia's 
post-war needs in the areas of repatriation 
and resettlement of refugees and internally 
d i s p l a c e d p e r s o n s , r e - i n teg ra t i on , re ­
c o n c i l i a t i o n , r e - h a b i t a t i o n and re­
construction. 
20 The Authority congratulated His Excellency 
President Char les Ghankay Taylor on his 
election and encouraged him to continue his 
policy of reconcil iation and national unity. 
Following free and democratic elections in 
Liberia, the Authority lifted all sanctions and 
embargoes on Liberia and requested the 
international community to do the same. 
21 T h e Au thor i t y e x p r e s s e d its d e e p 
appreciation to all those who contributed to 
the s u c c e s s f u l i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of the 
E C O W A S P e a c e P lan for Liber ia on the 
regional front. Special recognition was given 
to the immense and unstinted contribution 
of the E C O W A S Commit tee of Nine, the 
Member States contributing troops to the 
E C O W A S peace-keeping force ( E C O M O G ) , 
and the gallant officers and men of E C O M O G . 
Similarly, the Authority expressed grateful 
thanks to the O A U , the U N , the E U and 
countr ies in the international community 
which made notable contributions to the 
peace effort. A minute's silence and prayer 
was observed in memory of all those who lost 
their lives in the Liberian civil war 
22 The Authority stressed that the restoration 
of p e a c e to L i be r i a had c o n v i n c i n g l y 
demonstrated West African solidarity and its 
ability to resolve regional problems through 
mutual trust, tolerance, self-sacri f ice and 
strong leadersh ip . H e a d s of S ta te and 
G o v e r n m e n t m a d e a st rong a p p e a l for 
cont inued support f rom both within and 
outside West Africa for re-building Liberia. In 
this regard, the Author i ty e x p r e s s e d its 
will ingness to extend, upon the request of 
the Gove rnmen t of L iber ia , the s tay of 
E C O M O G in Liberia for an extra period to 
be mutually agreed upon. The E C O W A S 
E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y w a s d i r e c t e d to 
negotiate appropr iate protocols with the 
Government of Liberia to legal ise further 
E C O W A S mi l i ta ry /secur i ty a s s i s t a n c e 
package to Liberia through E C O M O G . The 
financing of this operation will be borne by 
the Liber ian government . However, the 
Author i ty a p p e a l e d to o ther E C O W A S 
M e m b e r S t a t e s and the i n te rna t i ona l 
communi ty to ass is t in this effort. The 
Execu t i ve Sec re ta r ia t was d i rec ted to 
participate in the formulation and monitoring 
of the implementation of a reconstruction 
programme for Liberia. 
23 Heads of State and Government, recalling 
the E C O W A S D e c l a r a t i o n of P o l i t i c a l 
Principles which they adopted at Abuja in 
July, 1991 , re i terated their unwaver ing 
c o m m i t m e n t to the e s t a b l i s h m e n t a n d 
smooth functioning of democratic institutions 
in each E C O W A S M e m b e r Sta te . The 
Au thor i t y e x p r e s s e d its u n r e s e r v e d 
c o n d e m n a t i o n of the v io len t and 
uncons t i t u t i ona l ove r t h row of the 
democratical ly elected government of the 
Republic of Sierra Leone on 25th May, 1997. 
Heads of State and Government deplored 
the looting, loss of life and property that 
a c c o m p a n i e d the coup d'etat, and the 
subsequent complete disruption of life in Sierra 
Leone. 
24. The Authori ty warmly congratu lated the 
E C O W A S Committee of Four on Sierra Leone 
and fully endorsed the objectives set out by 
the Ministers of Foreign Affairs with regard to 
Sierra Leone, which had also received the 
approval of the United Nat ions Secur i ty 
Council, namely 
51 
Augusi 1997 Otticial Journal ol ECOWAS Vol. 33 
1} the ea r l y r e - i ns ta temen t of the 
legitimate Government of President 
Ahmad Tejan K A B B A H 
ii) the return of peace and security; and 
iii) the resolution of the issues of refugees 
and displaced persons. 
25. The Authority expressed its determination to 
dep loy all efforts towards the peace fu l 
resolution of the Sierra Leone crisis, and called 
for the cooperation and understanding of all 
the parties concerned. The Authority, deeply 
c o n c e r n e d about the b r e a k d o w n of 
negotiations in Abidjan on 30th July 1997 
between the Committee of Four and the illegal 
regime in Sierra Leone, and in view of the 
intransigence of the illegal regime, approved 
a package of sanctions and blockade as a 
further measure to ensure the restoration of 
the legitimate Government of President Ahmad 
Tejan K a b b a h H e a d s of S ta te and 
G o v e r n m e n t m a n d a t e d E C O M O G to 
specifically monitor the ceasefire, enforce 
sanctions and embargo and secure peace in 
Sierra Leone 
26. The Au thor i t y d e c i d e d to e n l a r g e the 
membership of the Committee responsible for 
monitoring the situation in Sierra Leone to five 
countries, by including the Republic of Liberia. 
It also dec ided to raise the status of the 
Committee to the level of Heads of State and 
Government 
C R I S I S IN THE CONGO 
27 Heads of State and Government received with 
appreciation, a special message from His 
Excellency El-Hadj Omar B O N G O , President 
of Gabon and Chairman of the international 
Mediation Committee on the Congo crisis 
The Author i t y d e e p l y regre t ted the 
deteriorating situation in the Congo It made 
a strong appeal to all the parties concerned 
to o b s e r v e the c e a s e f i r e and be fully 
committed to peace and political dialogue. 
28 The Authority expressed its support for the 
untiring efforts of President El Hadj Omar 
Bongo to resolve the Congo crisis and has 
decided to send a delegation 
TRANSFER OF ECOWAS SECRETARIAT TO 
ABUJA 
29. Heads of State and Government regretted the 
delayed movement of the Secretariat staff to 
A b u j a b e c a u s e of the lack of staf f 
accommodation The Authority expressed 
warm gratitude to the Federal Government 
of Nigeria for the provision of a loan to enable 
the Community construct staff residential 
quarters in Abu ja H e a d s of State and 
Government directed the Executive Secretary 
to give priority attention to the matter so that 
the transfer of the E C O W A S Secretariat to 
Abuja could be completed during the course 
of 1998. 
AWARD OF ECOWAS PRIZE OF EXCELLENCE 
30. Heads of State and Government re-affirmed 
their commitment to the encouragement of 
research and the development of indigenous 
technology The Authority felt convinced of 
the ex is tence of a subs tan t ia l reg iona l 
potential in this field and e x p r e s s e d its 
sat isfact ion with progress a l ready being 
made. The Authority further directed that 
future exerc ises should be more widely 
publicised throughout Member States so as 
to tap the abundant talent in the region. In 
recogn i t i on of the i r ou t s tand ing 
achievements in original research work the 
First E C O W A S Prize for Excellence in African 
pharmacopoeia was awarded to. 
Dr. Modou LO of Senega l for his 
contribution to botanical and physico-
chemical research on the sterculia 
gum, and 
Prof. Augustine O. OKHAMAFE of 
N ige r i a for h is s u c c e s s in the 
ex t rac t i on , d e v e l o p m e n t and 
utilisation of cellulose from selected 
agricultural waste. 
52 
Augusi 1997 Official Journal o( ECOWAS Vet. 31 
EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE TO MR. EDOUARD 
BENJAMIN 
31. Heads of State and Government, noting the 
ill health of Mr. Edouard B E N J A M I N , the 
E C O W A S Executive Secretary, wished him 
speedy recovery. They also expressed their 
grat i tude to h im for his se rv i ce to the 
Community during his tenure. 
APPOINTMENT OF STATUTORY OFFICERS 
32 Heads of State and Government stressed the 
importance of strong leadership in the two 
institutions of the Community and proceeded 
to make the following Decisions: 
a) Executive Secretary 
33. The Author i ty r e -a l l oca ted the post of 
Execut ive Secretary to the Republ ic of 
G u i n e a a n d a p p o i n t e d Mr. Lansana 
KOUYATE as the new E C O W A S Executive 
Secretary as from 1st September, 1997 for 
a four-year term. 
b) Other Statutory Officers 
34. The Authority noted that the tenure of office 
of the other statutory appointees will end 
between now and 3rd January, 1998 and 
stressed the need to properly evaluate them. 
Th is eva lua t ion will be done under the 
supervision of the Executive Secretary and 
in collaboration with the ad hoc Ministerial 
committee on the Selection and Evaluation 
of Statutory Appointees. The services of an 
expert bureau should be employed to facilitate 
this task 
35 The s ta tu tory a p p o i n t e e s a d j u d g e d 
competent may be retained. 
36 The posts of statutory officers whose terms 
are not renewed would be declared vacant 
and advertised in all Member States of the 
Community. The Authority decided that in 
order to recruit the best candidates, steps 
must be taken to ensure that all Member 
States have equal opportunity to serve the 
Community. 
37. The Authority a lso dec ided that the new 
Execut ive Secretary should take steps to 
review the structure of the Institutions of the 
Community, in this process he should employ 
the services of competent consultants. 
c) External Auditors 
38. Heads of State and Government expressed 
their satisfaction with the performance of the 
firm of auditors Akintola Wil l iams & Company 
as the External Auditors of the Community 
and renewed its mandate for a third and final 
two-year term, with retroactive effect from 
August, 1996. 
FREQUENCY OF SUMMIT MEETINGS 
39. In order to enhance regional integration efforts 
and e n s u r e a bet ter mon i to r ing of the 
Community's activities, the Authority decided 
that henceforth its meetings should be held 
twice yearly. One of the meetings will be held 
at the Headquarters of the Community and 
the second by turns in the other Member 
States. 
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN 
40 H e a d s of S t a t e a n d G o v e r n m e n t 
unanimously elected the Federal Republic 
of Nigeria as Chairman of the Community 
for the 1997-1998 period. 
DATE AND VENUE OF NEXT SUMMIT 
41. At the invitation of the Head of State of the 
Federal Republic of NIGERIA, the Authority 
decided to hold its twenty-first session at 
Abuja in July, 1998. 
VOTE OF THANKS 
42 Heads of State and Government expressed 
sincere appreciat ion and gratitude to the 
Chairman of the Authority, His Excel lency 
General Sani Abacha, Head of State, and 
Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces 
of the Federal Republ ic of Nigeria for the 
exemplary leadership he has consistently 
53 
Augusi 1997 OfficlQl Journal of ECOWAS Vol.33 
provided in the promotion of West African 
integration. General Abacha was particularly 
commended for the personal concern he 
showed over the Liberian crisis and the 
invaluable political, financial, human and 
material assistance that Nigeria extended over 
the past seven years in support of the 
successful ECOWAS peace plan for Liberia. 
DONE AT ABUJA, 
THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997 
THE AUTHORITY. 
54