ECOWAS COMMISSION LEGAL AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE ORGANIZES 9TH RETREAT FOR THE NETWORK OF ECOWAS LEGAL ADVISERS FOR MID-YEAR 2026 STATUTORY MEETINGS
15 May, 2026The 9th Retreat of the Network of all Legal Advisers across the ECOWAS institutions, agencies and offices was organised by the Legal Affairs Directorate of the ECOWAS Commission and held in Banjul, The Gambia from 12th to 16th of May 2026.
The Retreat commenced with a brief opening ceremony chaired by the Director, Legal Affairs, Mr. Gaye SOWE. In his opening remarks, Mr. Gaye SOWE welcomed all the participants to The Gambia and thanked the members for their commitment to the Network.
The participants of the 9th Legal Advisers Network were representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, ECOWAS Community Court, ERERA, GIABA and ERCA.
Recall that The Network of Legal Advisers of ECOWAS Institutions, Agencies and Offices is an initiative of the Legal Affairs Directorate of the ECOWAS Commission conceived to, inter alia: Ensure the uniform interpretation and application of ECOWAS legal acts across Institutions, Agencies and Offices; Reduce delays in Community decision‑making and implementation processes; Minimize litigation arising from deficiencies in contractual and administrative processes; Strengthen institutional coordination and collaboration; and Reinforce the professional capacities of ECOWAS Legal Advisers.
Since its establishment, the Network has held a series of strategic engagements aimed at consolidating legal coherence within the Community system. The present Retreat constitutes the 9ᵗʰ Meeting of the Network, continuing its institutionalized role as a forum for addressing cross‑cutting legal and governance issues within ECOWAS.
The Network holds two annual retreats, one before the mid-year statutory meetings and the second, before the year-end statutory meetings
