Ecowas states hold discussions towards reducing presidential term in their countries

May 25, 2015 Officials have revealed that West African leaders have met at a regional summit to discuss a proposal that will limit presidential mandates to two terms.

The talks by members of West Africa’s Ecowas bloc comes at a time where quite a number of long-standing African presidents are approaching legal term limits. In Burkina Faso and even more recently in Burundi, violence erupted when an attempt was made by some of these presidents to extend power.

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, a top United Nations official in West Africa, said countries in the region without term limits like Gambia and Togo would be encouraged to introduce them; he added that Ecowas can suspend members who do not comply with the regional measures.