Supplementary Act A/SA.1/06/12 Adopting the ECOWAS Humanitarian Policy and its Plan of Action

Jurisdiction
African Regional Bodies · Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Citation
Act 6-1 of 2012
Date
29 June 2012
Language
English
Type
Legislation
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Economic Community of West African States

Supplementary Act A/SA.1/06/12 Adopting the ECOWAS Humanitarian Policy and its Plan of Action

Act 6-1 of 2012

The High Contracting Parties;MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the ECOWAS Treaty as amended, establishing the Authority of Heads of State and Government and defining its composition and functions:MINDFUL of Articles 40 and 41 of the 1999 Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peace-Keeping and Security on the obligation of ECOWAS to coordinate and deliver humanitarian assistance within the region:MINDFUL of Supplementary Act A/SA.8/01/07 adopting the ECOWAS Policy on Disaster Risk Reduction which outlines measures for ensuring that the region is resilient to natural hazards:MINDFUL of Regulation MSC/REG.1/01/08 on the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework particularly paragraphs 93 to 96 which amongst other issues, set out the scope and capacity requirements for ECOWAS humanitarian intervention.CONSIDERING that Regulation MSC/REG.2/01/08 established the ECOWAS Emergency Response Team (EERT) as a mechanism for the delivery of emergency response within the framework of all ECOWAS Humanitarian interventions;RECALLING Regulation C/REG.16/12/11 establishing the ECOWAS Humanitarian Response Mechanism that provides the necessary framework for internal coordination of delivery of assistance and mobilization of relief funds;AWARE that the region has experienced grave humanitarian consequences caused by conflict and oftentimes natural disasters, all of which have worked untold hardship on our peoples and have given rise to the death and displacement of our peoples, increased refugee situation, destruction of property, in addition to having a deleterious effect on development, political and economic stability;NOTING the need to establish a system at the level of the Commission that standardizes the practice of humanitarian action and fosters a balanced linkage between humanitarian action, human security and human development;BEARING IN MIND that such a system should also be driven by a policy that fully reflects the ECOWAS mandate for maintaining regional security as well as the security and well being of the citizens of the region as a whole;DESIROUS of adopting a humanitarian policy that underscores core humanitarian principles including humanity, solidarity, sustainability, responsibility and equality of treatment;HAVING RECEIVED THE OPINION OF THE ECOWAS PARLIAMENT;ON THE RECOMMENDATION of the 68th Session of the Council of Ministers which took place in Abidjan on the 11th & 12th June 2012.AGREE AS FOLLOWS

Article 1

The ECOWAS Humanitarian Policy and its Plan of Action (2012 - 2017) attached hereto are hereby adopted;

Article 2

This Supplementary Act shall be published in the Official Journal of the Community by the Commission within thirty (30) days of its signature by the Chairman of the Authority. It shall also be published within the same time frame in the National Gazette of each Member State.

Article 3

1.This Supplementary Act shall enter into force upon publication. Consequently, signatory Member States and the ECOWAS Institutions undertake to start the implementation of its provisions upon its entry into force.
2.This Supplementary Act shall be annexed to the ECOWAS Treaty of which it shall form an integral part.

Article 4

This Supplementary Act shall be deposited with the Commission, which shall transmit certified true copies of this Act to all Member States and notify them of the dates of deposit of the instruments of ratification and shall register this Act with the African Union, the United Nations Organization and such other organizations as Council may determine.
IN FAITH WHEREOF, WE, the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have signed this Supplementary Act.Done in Yamoussoukro, this 29th day of June 2012In single original, in the English, French and Portuguese languages, all three texts being equally authentic
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