Understanding the Role of Regional Bodies in Addressing Democracy Decline in West Africa

Description:

The African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), by their constituting documents and protocols, affirm the commitment of the region to promote human rights, democracy, and good governance. The AU Charter on Democracy, Election and Good Governance and the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance have clear obligations on members state to protect and promote democracy. The regional bodies (ECOWAS and AU) have been carrying out the job of promoting democracy with mixed result. The recent trajectory in the region suggest that democracy is on the reverse gear in the region. This webinar is designed to interrogate the role of the regional organization in addressing the decline of democracy in the region with the aim of identifying challenges to this role and offering recommendation on how best this important task can be carried out.