ECOWAS Commission President officially sworn in

Yamoussoukro, Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) - Four months after he assumed duties, Ambassador Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo was official sworn into office as the ECOWAS Commission President on the sidelines of the just-concluded 41st ECOWAS Summit in Yamoussoukro, Cote d'Ivoire.

According to an ECOWAS Commission statement sent to PANA Tuesday, the oath of office was administered by the President of the Community Court of Justice, Hon. Awa Nana Daboya.

The ECOWAS Chairman, President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, then formally investitured Ambassador Ouedraogo, and said his competences in International Relations, Economics and Politics were major assets that would help steer the Community to great achievements during his four-year tenure.

In his acceptance speech, Ambassador Ouédraogo pledged to serve the Community truthfully and faithfully, and to discharge his functions with determination, discretion, efficiency, and in line with the regulations.

He pledged to work for regional peace and security, which are critical preconditions for the pursuit of the organisation’s socio-economic development agenda, and also promised to deepen the regional integration process and the realisation of the Community’s noble ideals.

“Stability cannot be achieved without respect for the principles of democracy, good governance and respect for the human rights and universal values. We must therefore endeavour to entrench the democratic culture in our region,” he said. “It is unacceptable that in the 21st Century, we still experience coups d’etat and access to power through unconstitutional means. The people have the right to respect for their constitution and to freely elect their leaders.”

Ambassador Ouedraogo was appointed President of the Commission at the 40th Ordinary Summit in February 2012 in Abuja, Nigeria, to replace Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, who served out the tenure of Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the Commission's first President.

A former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (1996-2000), the new ECOWAS Commission President is an experienced diplomat, financial expert and economist.
-0- PANA SEG 3July2012