ECOWAS supports Ghana's Mensa-Bonsu for ICC

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has pledged his support for Prof Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu for the post of Judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

ECOWAS Commission President Marcel de Souza, stated this in Abuja, Nigeria, while speaking with Edward Mahama, Special Envoy of the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to statement issued by the Commission and made available to the Ghana News Agency, Commission President de Souza promised to inform and request the support of ECOWAS Member States and the African Union for the candidacy of Mrs Mensa-Bonsu for the post, despite the late announcement of the candidacy.

He urged the Special Envoy of the Ghanaian President to ask President Akufo-Addo to make a case for the Ghanaian candidate before his African and European counterparts at the 5th African Union-European Union Summit scheduled for 29 - 30 November 2017 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

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“I will engage in necessary advocacy and lobbying with ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to support your candidacy, despite the fact that time is short because of the late announcement of your candidacy, given that the next West African Heads of State Summit will be held on December 16, 2017, he said.

Elections for ICC judges would be held from December 4 to 14, 2017, at the 16th session of the Assembly of States Parties, which would be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA.

Apart from the Ghanaian Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, on list A, the Beninese Reine Alapini Gansou is also a candidate for the post of judge at the ICC, but on list B.

Marcel de Souza expressed the hope to see the two candidates from the Community appointed to the positions which would be an honour to ECOWAS.

He hoped that in future, West African citizens vying for positions would announce their candidacies well in advance.