The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has convened a four-day Zonal Strategic Planning Meeting on Local Conflict Prevention and Peace Building in The Gambia.

The meeting, which commenced on Monday 30th June, will end on the 3rd July 2008, at the Jerma Beach Hotel in Kololi.

The Gambia is the observation and monitoring centre for Zone1.

Zone1 includes The Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal. 

The purpose of the meeting is to develop strategies and plans of action to promote dialogue and conflict prevention in identified trouble spots in the member countries.

The meeting will review proposed plans of action for local interventions developed by civil society peace networks and develop modalities for joint ECOWAS-CSO.

Time-lines and the co-ordinating roles of the Zonal Bureaux, complementary frameworks and the way forward will be discussed among other things.

The members of the Mbaise Union in The Gambia have in recent days convened a general meeting and sworn in their newly elected executive members who will steer the affairs of the union for the next two years.

According to Engriz Nwaducke, who administered the oaths of office, the new leaders, who took over from Chief U.K. Emezie, came into office following a well-organised election.

The members elected to run the union are; Mr. China Ochuulor – Chairman, Mr. Mike Eze – Vice Chairman and Mr. Uche Mirikwe who was reelected as Treasurer.

In his short speech, Chief Alloy Ugob commended the members for their comportment as well as exercising a high sense of maturity and cooperation during and after the election. He finally wished the new executive well during their tenure serving the union.

Mr. Ochulo advised the union to be law abiding and hold up the rules of the union. He also called on others to join the union.

He also spoke about the union’s new project called ALMALAC, which aims to support education for needy students.

He finally promised to continue to take the union into the area of education so as to complement government efforts.