FIFTY-SIXTH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT

December 21, 2019, Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria

FINAL COMMUNIQUE

1. The fifty-sixth ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was held on 21 December 2019 in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, under the chairmanship of HE Issoufou MAHAMADOU, President of the Republic of Niger and current President of the Conference.

2. The following Heads of State and Government or their duly authorized representatives were present at this session

HE Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin;
HE Roch Marc Christian Kabore, President of Faso
HE Mr. Jorge Carlos Fonseca, President of Cabo Verde;
HE Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire,
HE Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia,
HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana;
HE Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea,
HE George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia
HE Issoufou Mahamadou, President of the Republic of Niger;
HE Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
HE Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal
SEM Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, SEM Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Togolese Republic.
HE Henrique Adriano Da Silva, Ambassador of the Republic of
Guinea-Bissau in Nigeria and Permanent Representative to the ECOWAS Commission •
HE Moustapha Traore, Ambassador of the Republic of Mali to Nigeria and Permanent Representative to the ECOWAS Commission.
3. Also attended this session:
  HE Yakubu Gowon, former Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
  HE Jean Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission;
  HE Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the Secretary
General of the United Nations for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS);
  SEDr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank
  HE Abdallah Boureima, President of the UEMOA Commission;   HE Mr. Ibrahim Abani Sani, Executive Secretary of CEN-SAD
  HE Mrs. Minata Cessouma-Samate, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union, representative of the President of the African Union Commission.
4. The opening ceremony was marked by the interventions of the President of the host country, His Excellency Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Mr.

Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and His Excellency Mr. Issoufou Mahamadou, President of the Republic of Niger and current Chairman of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, who delivered the opening speech.
5. Furthermore, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, and the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, delivered messages on this occasion.
6. The Heads of State and Government take note of the annual report of the Chairperson of the Commission for the 2019 financial year, the reports of the 43 ordinary meeting of the Mediation and Security Council, the 83 ordinary session of the Council of Ministers and the 1 Y Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers on the Forensic Audit of ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies, for the period 2013-2017. They also take note of the presentation of the 2020-2024 Action Plan to eradicate terrorism in the Region, as well as a special report on the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme.
7. The Conference welcomes the quality of the reports presented and the relevance of the accompanying recommendations, intended to promote the strengthening of the process of economic and monetary integration, as well as the improvement of political stability and the consolidation of peace and security in the region.
8. In order to consolidate the achievements of the integration process and to maintain the cohesion of the region in order to create favorable conditions for peace, security and prosperity, the Heads of State and Government take the following decisions.
ON ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION PROGRAMS
9. The Authority takes note of the improvement in the economic performance of the region, with an increase of 3.3% in the real GDP of ECOWAS in 2019 against 3.0 0/0 in 2018, in a context marked by the decline inflationary pressures and the consolidation of public finances.
10. It urges Member States to take measures to allow the pursuit of economic reforms and the improvement of their macroeconomic environment, with a view to accelerating the structural transformation of the economies of ECOWAS.
11. In this regard, the Authority commends the African Development Bank for all the initiatives taken for the economic transformation and development of Africa, while encouraging it to strengthen its cooperation with ECOWAS in the financing of programs and regional projects.
12. The Conference recommends that the Commission support Cabo Verde in its agricultural policy to deal with the prolonged drought that the country is going through.
CREATION OF THE MONETARY UNION
13. The Authority commends the Ministerial Committee for the progress made in the implementation of the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme.
14. While welcoming the improvement in the state of macroeconomic convergence in 2019, it urges Member States to continue efforts aimed at complying with the convergence criteria.
15. The Assembly takes note of the progress of the activities of the revised Roadmap. In this context, it invites the Ministerial Committee to take the necessary steps to speed up the implementation of the revised Road Map and to reassign, as a matter of priority, the financial resources of the Special Fund to the financing of essential activities to the creation of the ECOWAS Monetary Union in 2020. The Authority instructs the Ministerial Committee to provide it with an update at its next ordinary session.
16. The Heads of State and Government took note of the proposals for the symbol of the single currency of ECOWAS and adopt the symbol of ECO, which is as follows

17. With regard to the name of the Central Bank of ECOWAS, the Authority adopts the following: Central Bank of West Africa (BCAO).
18. With regard to the file of the single currency of ECOWAS, after having heard the presentation of HE Mr. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of UEMOA, the Conference took note of the transformations important issues in progress at the level of the monetary zone of the WAMU. This reform of the monetary zone of WAMU will facilitate its integration into the future monetary zone of ECOWAS (ECO). The Heads of State and Government welcomed the developments in the WAMU monetary zone.
FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE AND GOODS
19. The Conference reaffirms the need for all Member States to ensure the implementation of the Protocol on Free Movement as it relates to the rights of entry, residence and establishment. It calls on the Member States which have not yet put the ECOWAS biometric identity card into circulation on the national territory to urgently take the necessary measures to facilitate the mobility of Community citizens in the regional space. . To this end, she expresses her gratitude to the Member States that have already instituted this system.
20. With regard to the free movement of goods in the region, the Conference takes note of the persistent difficulties encountered in the implementation of the provisions of the Protocol on the free movement of persons and goods resulting from the closure of borders.
21. The Conference notes the low level of intra-regional trade and urges Member States to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade.
22. It commends the efforts devoted to this issue by the Presidential Task Force on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS), then invites the Tripartite Ministerial Committee, composed of Benin, Niger and Nigeria, to quickly lead to completion of its work in order to resolve all the border problems encountered.
23. With regard to the Customs Union, the Authority notes the progress made in the implementation of the Common External Tariff (CET) and urges Member States to rapidly complete the process of convergence towards the

TEC. To this end, it approves the three-year extension of the additional protection measures.
24. The Authority commends the efforts of the Community regarding the ECOWAS Common Schedule of Tariff Concessions for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, while calling for an early resolution of the outstanding issues, to ensure that all Member States submit a single offer to the African Union Commission.
25. Having taken note of the progress made in the area of trade in services and the review of the ECOWAS services policy, the Authority invites the ECOWAS Commission to lend its support to Member States in the search for an agreement enabling them to adopt a common position on the schedules of specific commitments in this area.
DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY AND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
26. The Heads of State and Government note the inadequacy of the energy supply within the Community and welcome the actions undertaken by the regional institutions with a view to increasing production capacities while favoring energy sources. 'renewable energy.
27. The Authority welcomes the Commission's efforts to provide the region with a coherent legislative framework for the development of the mining sector. It congratulates the Council of Ministers for the adoption of the Regulation on the regional program to facilitate the supply of petroleum products in the ECOWAS region and adopts the Supplementary Act relating to the ECOWAS hydrocarbons development policy and its matrix of implementation.
28. The Authority takes note of the significant progress made in the implementation of the projects, in particular the construction of the ECOWAS Juxtaposed Checkpoints (JCPs) as well as the development of corridors and transport.
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29. It encourages the ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the Member States, to intensify actions aimed at the implementation of regional infrastructure construction projects, with a view to contributing to the opening up of certain countries, the fluidification of intra-community trade and improving security.
ON PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY
30. The Authority reaffirms its commitment to the promotion of peace, security and stability in the region, a prerequisite for the economic integration and development of the region.
Political situation in the region
31. With regard to the second round of elections in Guinea-Bissau, scheduled for 29 December 2019, the Authority recalls the decisions resulting from the Extraordinary Summit of 8 November 2019, which had insisted on the need to continue the democratic process underway in this country.
32. The Authority notes that pursuant to the decision of the Summit, the ECOWAS Commission has provided support to the government of Guinea-Bissau for the holding of the presidential election of 24 November 2019.
33. The Conference congratulates the two candidates who came out on top at the end of the first round of the presidential election, Mr. Domingos Simoes PEREIRA of PAIGC (40.130/0) and Mr. Umaru Sissoco EMBALO of MADEM-G15 (27.65 0/0), and urges them to remain committed to the peaceful, transparent and credible conduct of the second round of the election.
34. The Authority also notes the strengthening of the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), in accordance with the instructions of the Heads of State and Government, by sending 140 formed police units (UPC) made available by the Togolese Republic, in order to ensure security before, during and after the presidential election. The Authority commends the ECOMIB Force for its valuable contribution to the
stabilization and security of Guinea-Bissau.
35. While calling on the Bissau-Guinean political actors to continue to work to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible conduct of the second round of the election, the Authority urges the ECOWAS Commission to ensure that support is provided technical assistance to the country after the presidential election, in order to accelerate the implementation of the constitutional reforms provided for in the Conakry Agreement, for the effective holding in 2020 of the referendum provided for this purpose.
36. The Conference congratulates HE Patrice Talon for the political dialogue initiated in Benin, and expresses its satisfaction for the consensus reached between the authorities and members of the Beninese political class, as well as the appeasement measures taken following this dialogue. .
37. The Conference calls on the authorities and political actors of Benin to continue the dialogue and to rely on the results of the Political Dialogue to strengthen national unity and the stability of the country.
38. The Authority takes note of the launch, on 14 December 2019 in Bamako, of the national phase of the Inclusive National Dialogue. The Heads of State and Government congratulate the President of the Republic, HE Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita, for this initiative intended to deepen the democratic process in Mali, improve governance and strengthen national unity.
39. While welcoming the participation of almost all segments of the Malian Nation in this historic event, the Conference invites all parties, without exception, to take ownership of the conclusions of this refounding Dialogue which consolidates the process of stabilizing the country.
40. The Authority welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation resulting from the Algiers Process, particularly in the area of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), reconciliation and transitional justice, as well as as the political initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis in the Center of the Country. It encourages the Government to pursue its efforts, despite the difficult context.

41. reaffirms its support for the territorial integrity of Mali and the restoration of State authority throughout the national territory, including respect for State symbols and invites the international community to support government initiatives to this end.
Regarding the electoral deadlines in the region
42. The Authority also notes that presidential/general elections are scheduled for 2020 in six countries in the region, namely Togo, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Niger. She notes with satisfaction that most of the countries that will hold elections in 2020 will be in their fifth or sixth electoral cycle and that this will be an important test of our region's commitment to the consolidation of democracy.
43. In this regard, the Authority welcomes the democratic progress made in the region and urges Member States scheduled to hold elections in 2020 to do everything possible to create conditions conducive to the holding of peaceful, transparent and credible elections, and to ensuring a better anchoring of democracy and good governance. Therefore, the Authority invites the ECOWAS Commission to continue to support the electoral processes in Member States, by providing timely technical assistance, in order to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections in 2020.
On the Security Situation in the Region
44. The Conference expresses its deep concern at the resurgence of terrorist attacks targeting defense and security forces, civilian populations, as well as socio-economic structures and places of worship.
45. It strongly condemns these terrorist attacks and reaffirms its determination to do everything possible to eradicate terrorism in the region. It expresses its full solidarity with the peoples and governments of the affected countries.
46. welcomes the enormous efforts made by the Member States to combat terrorism and all other forms of transnational organized crime in the region.
47. She reiterates her call to the United Nations Security Council for the G5 Sahel Joint Force to be placed under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. In addition, it appeals to the Security Council to  that MINUSMA be given an offensive mandate, to enable it to better face the challenges of terrorism in Mali. The Assembly reiterates its request to the United Nations Security Council for the appointment of a Joint Special Envoy of the African Union and the United Nations in Libya.
48. The Authority adopts the 2020 — 2024 Plan of Actions intended to eradicate terrorism in the region, as well as its implementation timetable and its estimated budget, which amounts to two billion three hundred million United States dollars ( 2,300,000,000 USD). This budget will be financed by internal resources to the tune of 1 billion United States dollars (1,000,000,000 USD), this amount being intended for the support in equipment of the defense forces of the Member States, the training activities of the competent structures and the effective sharing of information.
49. The Authority instructs the Commission to propose a strategy for mobilizing the financial balance for the period 2021-2024 at its next ordinary session.
50. The Authority also instructs the Chairperson of the Commission to immediately put in place an inclusive and transparent mechanism for managing the resources mobilized for the implementation of the Action Plan. It also instructs the President of the Commission to ensure the speedy disbursement of the resources mobilized in order to respond effectively to the urgency of the situation.
51. The Conference decides to concentrate efforts on the years 2020 and 2021, for the implementation of activities aimed at contributing to a rapid halt to the multiplication and expansion of terrorist attacks.
52. urges international partners to provide substantial support for the implementation of the Action Plan. To this end, it instructs the Chairman of the Commission to organize, as soon as possible, a Conference to mobilize additional resources in addition to the internal resources identified by the Conference.
53. The Conference also instructs the President to develop a strong partnership with all the actors involved in the fight against terrorism in the region. This partnership must be based on the complementarity of initiatives and actions so as to avoid the duplication of efforts as much as possible, and on the principle of comparative advantage in order to exploit the added value of the various stakeholders for a better optimization of their role. .
HARMONIZATION OF THE POSITIONS OF ECOWAS MEMBER STATES IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
54. The Heads of State and Government take note of the request made for support to Member States presenting candidatures for posts in international and regional organizations, as well as for vacant posts reserved for Member States. ECOWAS members to the United Nations in 2020.
55. The Conference urges urgent arbitration and the adoption of a harmonized approach, with regard to the positions requested by several Member States, in order to be able to present consensual candidatures, which will enjoy the full support of the community.
56. In this regard, the Authority resolves to support the candidacy of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina for a second term as President of the African Development Bank.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
57. The Authority expresses its sincere thanks and deep gratitude to all the financial and technical partners of ECOWAS for their contributions to the consolidation of regional peace and security, as well as to the implementation of the integration program of ECOWAS.

58. It appeals to financial and technical partners to support the financing of the ECOWAS Five-Year Plan of Action (2020-2024), aimed at eradicating terrorism in the region.
INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
59. The Conference took note of the Report of the 19th
Extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers on the forensic audit of ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies, for the period 2013-2017. It encourages ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies to put in place a credible system to promote good corporate governance within the Community.
60. In this regard, the Authority instructs the Commission to strengthen the control functions within the ECOWAS institutions and welcomes the initiative to put in place a policy of abolition of the use of cash in transactions, a ethics and compliance system and request the application of sanctions.
NEXT SUMMIT DATE
61. The date of the Fifty-seventh Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS will be communicated later, after consultation with the Heads of State and Government.
62. The Authority extends its sincere congratulations to HE Mr. Issoufou Mahamadou, President of the Republic of Niger, current Chairman of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, for his unreserved commitment to regional integration continent and for the exemplary leadership he has shown in the management of the affairs of the Community.
DONE IN ABUJA, 21ST DECEMBER 2019