News: Trade war hangover: Spirits industry tries to avoid tariff crossfire

News
Trade war hangover: Spirits industry tries to avoid tariff crossfire



GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File / John Sommers II Kentucky bourbon has been among the spirits that have become unlikely pawns in the US-EU trade conflict

Bourbon from Kentucky and Scotch whisky have already been targeted. What's next? French cognac?

As US President Donald Trump has shaken up international commerce through myriad trade fights, the spirits industry has found itself an unlikely pawn in an escalating row between Washington and the European Union.

Bourbon, the renowned Kentucky product, got hit with 25 percent duties in June 2018 when Brussels' retaliated against US tariffs on steel and aluminum.

That possibility "just would have never been on my radar," said Amir Peay, who heads James E. Pepper Distilling Co.

At the time, Peay's Lexington, Kentucky company was ramping up in Europe, investing in new warehouse space, making contact with new distributors and unveiling new bottle formats.

The EU targeted Kentucky Bourbon for a reason: it's made in the home state of US Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a key Trump ally.

But the decision still caught the industry off guard.

"I literally woke up one morning at six o'clock to a phone call from a journalist who wanted to have feedback on being used as pawns in a trade war," recalled Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers' Association.

"My first reaction was 'Oh, Kentucky Bourbon really made it!' And then it was, 'Oh my gosh, what's going to happen?'"

Since the levies were imposed, US whiskey exports to Europe have fallen by 28 percent.

- Whisky 'Summit' -

The industry's has responded with a charm offensive, including meetings with lawmakers, written appeals to trade officials on both sides of the Atlantic and frequent efforts to reach out to media.

In July 2018, the eight biggest whisky groups in the world convened a "summit" in Louisville, Kentucky to strategize.

The gathering came as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attended a surprisingly amicable White House meeting with Trump, which seemed a positive step, until each side announced conflicting results.

"They announced that the conversations were picking up speed," Gregory recalled. "Here we are a year and a half later, and it's going in the opposite direction."

The latest tariffs on alcohol came from the US side, spurred by a trade case over European subsidies to Airbus.

Washington in October imposed 25 percent tariffs on single-malt whisky from Scotland, as well as on some other European wines and spirits.

US officials say they are authorized by the World Trade Organization ruling to raise those tariffs to as much as 100 percent, and could widen the penalty list to add popular items such as cognac.

Champagne could be the next beverage hit in the battle over France's digital tax on major internet companies.

"We were in very close contact with the European Commission during the first half of 2018, really questioning why they would want to put a tariff on American whiskey coming into Europe because it rather shone a spotlight on what is actually more of a European trade sector," said Karen Betts, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association based in Edinburgh.

- Booze distillers united-

The biggest spirits companies are multinationals that sell a range of booze, from whisky and tequila to rum and cognac, and American and European trade groups have joined forces to fight the tariffs across the spectrum, and to defend the entire supply chain, from farmers to bartenders.

Representatives from Europe plan to travel to Washington in January at the conclusion of the public comment period on the next round of tariffs, said Chris Swonger, chief executive of the US Distilled Spirits Council.

Following a 1997 agreement between the US and EU against tariffs on spirits, there was a 450 percent increase in trade, Swonger said.

The tariffs create a dilemma for distillers, who must decide whether to raise the price of a dram, and lose customers, or suffer a hit to their profits and potentially be forced to cut workers.

Companies also must make decisions about production, which is complicated for products like bourbon that require years to produce.

"There are no winners in a trade war," Gregory said.

"I don't care if it takes a glass of scotch, of Irish whiskey or of Kentucky bourbon, we just want them back at the negotiating table."
source: AFP

News: S.Africa still hobbled by abusive legacy of domestic work

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S.Africa still hobbled by abusive legacy of domestic work


AFP / Guillem Sartorio The apartheid era legacy of domestic staff 'living in' makes it easier for employers to ignore labour laws, say advocacy groups in South Africa

For three years, SiyamthandaDube lived in a shed outside the house where she cleaned, cooked and babysat for a South African family.

Her employers asked her to move to "be with the kids" after their mum started a new job in 2014.

Dube complied, bringing her two daughters and reluctant husband from their home in a Johannesburg township.

"We put the bed up on top of buckets so that we could put the kids' mattresses underneath," she said.

"The house was under trees and all the jojos (bugs) would come inside."

Domestic workers in South Africa often live on the premises of their employers, in subpar conditions, without job security and on low wages.

'Living in' is a legacy of the apartheid era when non-white South Africans were banned from residing in cities.

To avoid treacherous commutes from faraway townships, black women employed by white households would live at work.

Today, despite apartheid having ended 25 years ago, most domestic workers' homes are still a long way from their workplace.

The distance and a lack of reliable transport keeps the live-in set-up going.

And, say advocacy groups, that makes it easier for employers to ignore post-apartheid labour laws.

- 'We don't want her anymore' -

"Employers often feel that if someone is living on their property, they have free rein to use them whenever they need," said Amy Tekie, who co-heads the domestic workers' network, Izwi.

It has helped more than 200 women speak up against poor treatment, low pay and unfair dismissals over the past year.

"People don't realise that you can't just fire your domestic worker at will," said Tekie.

Dube, 31, says she was beaten and then dismissed in 2017 after taking her feverish daughter to the chemist one morning, making her late for work.

"(My boss) started fighting at me, shouting at me, swearing," she recalled.

She was knocked unconscious, she said, and taken to hospital. Her employer offered her 200 rand (less than $14) to "keep quiet", she told AFP.

When she returned, the house keys had been removed from her key chain.

"I knew I was fired," Dube said.

"They called my husband and said... we don't want to see her anymore."

- Lack of awareness -

Labour rights in South Africa are enshrined in the constitution and domestic workers by law should receive a work contract stipulating their hours.

It is also one of three African countries to have ratified the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Domestic Workers Convention, which places a duty on governments to ensure fundamental rights and prevent abuse.

But enforcement still poses a challenge.

"You can have a good law on paper," said ILO country office director Joni Musabayana.

"But how do you ensure that domestic workers and employers are fully up to date?" he said.

There are still too few labour inspectors despite a recent hike in their numbers and access to private homes and farms depends on the owner's willingness, he added.

Tekie said that today most employers were "decent people" who had just grown up in a culture where domestic workers had no rights.

For Fazlyn Toeffie, it took years to realise that her family's relationship with live-in staff was "not normal".

"I grew up in a household... where domestic workers were not respected," said Toeffie, 39, who lives in Johannesburg.

"The helper had to eat out of the maid’s plate in her servant quarters... and then was called back to wash the dishes."

Toeffie told AFP that when she decided to hire a housekeeper under "better conditions", she had "no idea" where to start.

- 'Can't share my stories' -

South Africa has about 1.3 million domestic workers, the ILO says. Government figures are slightly lower, at one million.

The sector is mostly made up of black women from neighbouring Zimbabwe and Lesotho, according to Musabayana.

But many work without permits, leaving them even more vulnerable.

"It is not a group of people who are going to speak up and say 'no'," said lawyer Chriscy Blouws, who helps women take legal action.

Itumeleng says she was sexually assaulted by her employer this year.

A single mother, Itumeleng -- whose name has been changed for this story -- migrated to South Africa in January and lives with her employers in Johannesburg.

She works 14-hour days and looks after their baby girl -- sleeping with her to spare the parents from waking up at night.

"One night, my boss came home drunk," Itumeleng told AFP, after gaining rare permission to leave the house.

"He went in my room and touched me. I thought he was coming to take the baby."

Teary-eyed, she recalled the scuffle as his wife intervened and pushed her husband away.

"I can't share my stories to anyone," said Itumeleng. "I am not a South African and I don't have a work permit."

- Start to see change -

"Most domestic workers are not part of any union or any worker organisation," said Tekie.

South Africa in January implemented a minimum wage but domestic work is one of three sectors excluded from the hourly 20-rand ($1.36) rate.

The minimum wage for domestic workers is 15 rand ($1) an hour.

Rights groups have been lobbying for wage parity.

South Africa's labour department did not respond to AFP's requests for comment.

But Tekie noted that, with the right approach, existing labour laws can still "get outcomes".

This year domestic workers won the right to claim compensation for injuries at work after a case brought by the daughter of a woman who drowned in her employer's pool in 2012.

Dube, too, has taken action -- her ex-employer was forced by a labour dispute body to pay her three months' salary for unfair dismissal.

She also took him to court, where he was found guilty of physical abuse and sentenced to either six months in jail or a 60,000-rand fine. He opted for the fine.

"What happened to me is so difficult to forget," said Dube, who still struggles with back pain.

"I felt like a zombie, but I am better now."

sch/kjm
source: AFP

News: For Canadian researcher, it's a microscopic Christmas

News
For Canadian researcher, it's a microscopic Christmas



 McMaster University/AFP / Travis Casagrande Together, the gingerbread house and miniature snowman are barely taller than the diameter of a human hair

There was Tiny Tim, and then the Little Drummer Boy -- but they had nothing on the microscopic gingerbread house believed to be the smallest in the world and unveiled Wednesday by a Canadian researcher.

About half the size of one made in France last year, it was cut and etched from silicon, complete with sharply defined bricks and trim, and a Canadian flag for a welcome mat.

McMaster University researcher Travis Casagrande said he used a beam of charged gallium ions that acted like a sandblaster.

Images provided by the Hamilton, Ontario school's Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy showed the house sitting atop a cap on the head of tiny winking snowman made from materials used in lithium-ion battery research.

The pair of decorations stacked one on top of the other are barely taller than the diameter of a human hair.


McMaster University/AFP / Travis Casagrande The gingerbread house, etched from silicon, sits atop a cap on the head of a winking snowman made from materials used in lithium-ion battery research


"While the spirit of the new decorations is festive, the intention of the project," said Casagrande, "is to demonstrate the capabilities of the centre" and "stir scientific curiosity among the public."

The centre's suite of 10 electron microscopes and other equipment are used mostly for materials research.

Unlike a traditional desktop microscope that focuses light through optical lenses, an electron microscope uses an electron beam and electromagnetic lenses, allowing for far greater magnification.

News: 'Turning point' as number of male smokers drops: WHO

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'Turning point' as number of male smokers drops: WHO


 AFP / PATRIK STOLLARZ For the past two decades, global tobacco use has been slowly dwindling

The number of male tobacco users is falling for the first time, the World Health Organization said Thursday, hailing a "major shift" in efforts to kick the world's deadly tobacco addiction.

The number of women and girls who use tobacco products has been steadily declining for years. But tobacco use among males -- who account for the overwhelming majority of smokers -- has until now been expanding.

In a new report, the UN health agency hailed the beginning decline as a powerful indication that anti-smoking campaigns around the globe had begun to pay off.

But it warned that far more was needed to kick the addiction, which is estimated to kill some eight million people each year.

"Declines in tobacco use amongst males mark a turning point in the fight against tobacco," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement, saying the shift was "driven by governments being tougher on the tobacco industry."

For the past two decades, global tobacco use has been slowly dwindling, from 1.397 billion users in 2000 to 1.337 billion in 2018. This means around 60 million fewer people were using tobacco products, even as the global populations has swelled.

But that reduction has been strongly driven by declines in the number of women and girls using tobacco products, WHO said, with the number dropping from 346 million in 2000 to 244 million last year.


AFP / Smokers of the world


Over the same period, the number of male tobacco users rose by around 40 million, from 1.05 billion to 1.093 billion.

But men, who today account for more than 80 percent of all tobacco users, are finally beginning to kick the habit.

- 'Avoidable pain' -

Thursday's report covers the use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes, smokeless products like kretek and heated tobacco products, but not electronic cigarettes.

It shows that by 2020, the ranks of male users will shrink by two million people compared to last year's number, and by 2025, there are projected to be six million fewer male tobacco users than in 2018, so around 1.087 billion.

This marks "a major shift in the global tobacco epidemic," Ruediger Krech, head of WHO's health promotion department, told reporters on a conference call.

"Fewer males using tobacco products means fewer people will suffer the avoidable pain and death that they cause," he said.

WHO attributed the trend to a range of measures enacted around the world, including taxation, banning smoking in public places, and banning marketing of tobacco products.

The trend is even more positive when looking at both men and women, with the WHO forecasting that there will be a full 10 million fewer smokers, both sexes combined, next year compared to 2018.

And by 2025, that number is expected to shrink by another 27 million, down to 1.299 billion tobacco users worldwide.

WHO celebrated that around 60 percent of countries have seen a decline in tobacco use since 2010.

Despite these gains, the UN health agency cautioned that progress was moving too slowly and that fewer than a third of countries were on track to meet a global target of slashing tobacco use by 30 percent by 2025 compared to 2010.

"We cannot be satisfied with the slow decline when over one billion people are still using tobacco," Krech said.
source: AFP

News: Meth boom adds to Afghanistan's opium and heroin woes

News
Meth boom adds to Afghanistan's opium and heroin woes



AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA Almost unheard of in Afghanistan until a few years ago, meth's sudden appearance has blindsided authorities in a country already suffering from a crisis in opium and heroin addiction

At a sprawling rehabilitation centre on the outskirts of Kabul, dozens of dazed-looking drug addicts clamber out of police buses and shuffle toward the facility.

The men, arrested on the streets of the Afghan capital, have been sent to a compulsory detox programme established to tackle an explosion in the use and production of highly addictive methamphetamine.

Almost unheard of in Afghanistan until a few years ago, meth's sudden appearance has blindsided authorities in a country already suffering from a crisis in opium and heroin addiction.

"My life has been ruined by addiction," said 25-year-old Sulaiman, one of the 40 or so men arriving at the treatment centre.


AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA The men, arrested on the streets of the Afghan capital, have been sent to a compulsory detox programme established to tackle an explosion in the use and production of highly addictive methamphetamine


The physical impact of the drug -- known locally as "shisha", or glass -- is evident: Sulaiman's sunken eyes and hollow cheeks paint a picture of meth addiction familiar in many Western nations.

He says he got hooked while living in Iran several years ago. "I would do whatever it takes to get the drug, from labouring to stealing," he added.

Sulaiman and other patients at Ibn Sina, Afghanistan's largest addiction treatment facility, must undergo 45 days of mandatory rehab.

Located on the site of a former military base, Ibn Sina currently houses around 900 men. Smaller facilities elsewhere are available for women.

Until 2017, it was filled mainly with opiate addicts, said Abdul Jabar Jalili, Ibn Sina's chief physician and counsellor.

"Today, around 70 percent of patients here are addicted to meth," he told AFP, pointing to a group of addicts ambling around a sun-filled yard in the vast compound.


AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA A pharmacist holds a small flask as he examines seized samples of drugs to identify the substance in Afghanistan's main drug lab in Kabul

Statistics are bleak, with many of the patients addicted to both meth and opiates. Afghan health officials say more than 80 percent of the patients will relapse.

Naqibullah, another addict, started using the synthetic stimulant two years ago when his sister was killed in a Taliban bombing and a villager offered him a "non-addictive" drug to ease his grief.

"Initially... I liked it," the 34-year-old said.

"But then came the dark side, and I started to go mad, becoming violent and attacking members of my family."

- Overtaking opium? -

Data from 2015 -- when the last comprehensive national survey was carried out -- showed Afghanistan had about three million drug addicts, a huge proportion of the country's estimated 37 million people.


AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA Data from 2015 -- when the last comprehensive national survey was carried out -- showed Afghanistan had about three million drug addicts, a huge proportion of the country's estimated 37 million people


Experts say the number has only risen, and health officials estimate the proportion of addicts using meth could be as high as about 40 percent.

But just a few years ago, meth was practically non-existent.

The first meth seizure was reported in southern Helmand province in 2008 -- a meagre amount of a few grams, according to Afghan counter-narcotic officials.

In the first 10 months of 2019, a massive 935 kilos had been seized, said Kabir Ibrahimkhail, a senior counter-narcotics officer.

"At the rate it is increasing, it will not be a surprise if it soon replaces opium in Afghanistan," he told AFP.

That would be hugely significant in a country that grows roughly 90 percent of the world's illicit opium, and raises the question of whether Afghan meth could end up following the same international trafficking routes.


 AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA In the first 10 months of 2019, a massive 935 kilos of meth had been seized officials said

There is no data available on how much is exported currently. In the past two years several shipments have been intercepted heading to Iran, India and Saudi Arabia, according to Khaled Mowahed, spokesman for Afghanistan's Counter Narcotic Justice Centre (CNJC).

Before 2015, Afghan production was scarce, with most of the drug believed to have come from neighbouring Iran, where pseudoephedrine, an ingredient found in cold medicine, is used as a precursor to cook meth.

But manufacturers have found they can use a local mountain shrub known as "Oman".

Afghan officials only realised what locals were doing with this type of ephedra plant in 2017, when security forces stopped a bus carrying 1,400 kilogrammes of Oman in Farah province.

- Taliban involvement -

Abdul Shukoor Haidari, deputy head of Afghanistan's Drug Demand Reduction Programme, said meth dealers use persuasive tactics to spread its use.

"They say meth is not addictive and can help beat your opiate addiction. Then they lower prices and in some cases stop distributing heroin, so addicts are forced to turn to meth," Haidari said.


AFP / NOORULLAH SHIRZADA At Ibn Sina, Afghanistan's largest addiction treatment facility, people must undergo 45 days of mandatory rehab


The Taliban, who long used opium to fund their insurgency, have also moved into the burgeoning market.

"In the areas they control, the Taliban charge a tax on each kilo of meth produce," said Jasmine Bhatia, a research fellow at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies.

The US military in 2017 began targeting drug-making laboratories in Taliban areas.

Last May, US air strikes hit meth-producing labs in Farah province, though a UN report later said at least 30 civilians were also killed in the raid. The US insisted the meth labs were run and owned by the Taliban.

Back at the Ibn Sina treatment centre in Kabul, officials say the country is ill prepared to deal with meth.

"We will have to work harder to save our people," said Ibn Sina director Zalmai Naurozi.
source: AFP

News: ECJ says France can't make Airbnb register as estate agent

News
ECJ says France can't make Airbnb register as estate agent



AFP/File / MARTIN BUREAU Airbnb has become an incredibly popular service for tourists to book lodgings, but its practices have provoked criticism from hoteliers, cities and residents that it represents unfair competition and crowds out renters

Online short-term rental platform Airbnb scored a victory against French hoteliers Thursday when the European Court of Justice ruled that the US giant is not an estate agent.

The ECJ ruled that Airbnb can be considered "an 'information society service', distinct from the subsequent service to which it relates."

The French hotel industry lobby had brought the case arguing that Airbnb operates as a property rental firm and should be regulated as such under French law.

But the ruling states that France did not notify the European Commission under the EU directive on electronic commerce of any requirements for rental platforms.

The hoteliers' association AHTOP had launched a case against Airbnb's EU-based subsidiary Airbnb Ireland.

French lawyers argued that Airbnb does not merely connect two parties -- a landlord and a rental client -- but acts as a kind of unlicensed property agent.

This is in turn presents unfair competition to licenses tourism operators, they argued.

But the court found that Airbnb meets its criteria as an intermediary and that France ought to have lodged its concerns before the EU e-commerce law was enacted.

The site "is not aimed only at providing immediate accommodation services, but rather it consists essentially of providing a tool for presenting and finding accommodation for rent."

The court also found that Airbnb is not indispensable to the industry, since both landlords and renters can use various other ways to find each other.

alm-dc/rl

News: State of emergency as bushfires rage in Australia

News

State of emergency as bushfires rage in Australia



AFP / PETER PARKS Australia's bushfire season came early and hit with unrecedented intensity this year, which scientists attribute in part to global warming

A state of emergency was declared in Australia's most populated region on Thursday as an unprecedented heatwave fanned out-of-control bushfires, destroying homes and smothering huge areas with a toxic smoke.

As thousands of firefighters battled blazes, temperatures neared 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in some places and authorities warned the extreme weather conditions could get even worse.

Australia endures bushfires every year but the early and intense start to this season, along with the record temperatures, has fuelled concerns about global warming.

In New South Wales, Australia's most populated state with Sydney as its capital, more than 100 bushfires were burning on Thursday, many of them out of control.

New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a seven-day state of emergency, the second since the bushfire season began early in September, due to "catastrophic weather conditions".

At Buxton, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) southwest of Sydney, longtime resident Paul Collins said a nearby bushfire that had destroyed dozens of buildings was "much worse" than in past years.

"It's spread faster with the wind, and the bush and the ground is just so dry," Collins told AFP, blaming climate change and a long-running drought for the worsening fires.


AFP / PETER PARKS Bushfires in Australia have destroyed hundreds of homes and claimed six lives


"It's just a horrendous situation, really."

At least 20 houses were destroyed in New South Wales on Thursday, according to national broadcaster the ABC.

Meanwhile, the roughly five million people of Sydney continued to choke on smoke from a "mega-blaze" ringing the city.

- Public health emergency -

Leading doctors have warned the smoke, which has shrouded Sydney for weeks, has created a "public health emergency".

Hospitals have been recording large increases in emergency room visits for respiratory problems.

Vulnerable people in New South Wales have been urged by authorities to stay indoors amid worries the scorching heat combined with the toxic smoke could cause "severe illness, hospital admissions and even death".

The heatwave has led to a series of extraordinary records.

Australia endured a national maximum temperature of 41.9 degrees Celsius (107.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, a full degree higher than the previous record set just one day earlier.


 AFP / PETER PARKS At least three million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land has been torched across Australia in recent months

Until this week, the record high had been 40.3 C in January 2013.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said the "dangerous and disastrous" heatwave was toppling dozens of "extraordinary" records across the country.

"We're heading into a fifth or sixth day in a row where multiple places broke a record. And we're likely to see 30 or 40 records around the country break," he told the ABC.

- Climate protests -

The fires have sparked protests targeting Australia's conservative government, which environmentalists accuse of promoting coal and other industries that belch out greenhouse gases that cause global warming.


 AFP / Wendell TEODORO The fires have sparked climate protests targeting the conservative government, which has resisted pressure to address the root causes of global warming in order to protect the country's lucrative coal export industry


On Thursday hundreds of climate protesters marched on Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official residence in Sydney to demand curbs on greenhouse gas emissions.

They also sought to highlight his absence on an overseas holiday as large parts of the country burn.

Scientists say the blazes have come earlier and with more intensity than usual due to global warming and the prolonged drought that has left the land tinder dry.

Meanwhile, exhausted firefighters continued their battle on Thursday.


AFP / PETER PARKS A helicopter drops fire retardent to protect a property on Australia's east coast

NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said a crew of five firefighters battling a "fast-moving" blaze had been injured after being "enveloped" by flames.

Two seriously injured men had been airlifted to a specialist burns unit and a woman was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Fitzsimmons said some firefighters had been left "shattered" after losing their own homes while saving other properties.

"They and their families and colleagues are truly devastated by the loss," he said. "It will be another very emotional, very draining day for our firefighters."

Aside from New South Wales, more than 70 fires are raging across Queensland state to the north. Bushfires are also burning in Western Australia and South Australia.

At least three million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land has been torched across Australia in recent months, with six people killed and more than 800 homes destroyed.

source: AFP

News: Hundreds detained as protests rage across India

News
Hundreds detained as protests rage across India


AFP / Sajjad HUSSAIN Indians have defied bans on assembly with anger swelling against a citizenship law

Indian police fired tear gas and detained hundreds of people on Thursday as fresh violence broke out and demonstrators defied bans on assembly, amid growing anger at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alleged anti-Muslim agenda.

Security forces and protesters clashed in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka states as elsewhere police bundled demonstrators onto buses, shutting Delhi metro stations and cutting cellphone access in some areas.

The protests were sparked by a new law easing citizenship rules for people fleeing persecution from three neighbouring countries, but not Muslims, stoking accusations at home and abroad that Modi wants to reshape India as a Hindu nation, something he denies.

Seven months after Modi swept to a second term, the past week has seen six people killed, dozens injured and on Thursday, authorities banned gatherings across swathes of the world's biggest democracy that together are home to hundreds of millions of people.

They included all of Uttar Pradesh and Bangalore, areas of the northeast and parts of Bihar, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai. All of them have seen protests in recent days, and in the case of the capital, riots and police storming a university.

- Demonstrators dragged -

Fresh violence erupted in Samhbal, Uttar Pradesh, where hundreds of protesters set fire to vehicles and threw stones at security forces who responded with tear gas, local police chief Yamuna Prasad told AFP.


AFP / DIPTENDU DUTTA Crowds march peacefully against India's new citizenship law in Siliguri, West Bengal


"We are trying to control the situation. People have been asked to return to their homes," Prasad said.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon at several thousand protestors in state capital Lucknow while in Modi's home state of Gujarat, police said they baton-charged demonstrators and arrested 50 people.

As others ignored the assembly bans in Delhi and elsewhere, authorities ordered telecom firms to cut calls, text messages and data in parts of the city.

India is already the world leader in cutting the internet, activists say, and access was also restricted in parts of the northeast and in Uttar Pradesh, home to a large Muslim minority.

In Bangalore, one of those dragged onto a police bus was globally renowned historian Ramachandra Guha, while in Delhi, Harsh Mander, a prominent rights activist, was also detained.

In the northeast, where the protests began last week -- albeit for different reasons -- around 20,000 people took to the streets in different locations. No violence was reported, however, after last week's deadly clashes.

But the day's biggest demonstration so far took place in Malegaon in Maharashtra state -- no assembly ban was in place -- with as many as 60,000 people, police said.

In Mumbai, a crowd of thousands including tattooed students and older Muslim men wearing skullcaps brandished Indian flags, posters of Mahatma Gandhi and handed out copies of the constitution.

"We cannot stay silent or on the fringes anymore. We have to act now," financial advisor Aman Verma told AFP.

"Something has changed. This is the first time in a long time that people in Mumbai have come out in such large numbers to register dissent," said consultant Karishma V.

The crowd in Kolkata was estimated at more than 40,000.

- 'Police brutality' -

The protests have been fuelled by anger about alleged police brutality including at a university in Delhi on Sunday night.

Security forces in the capital have fired some 450 tear gas shells in the past five days, the Hindustan Times daily reported. One student reportedly lost an eye.

The demonstrations in the city have at times turned violent with vehicles set on fire and protestors hurling stones at police in heavily Muslim parts on Wednesday.

"If they show us the lathi (police baton), we will show them roses," a student in Delhi, Shivanji, told AFP as she handed flowers to police on Thursday.

With international concern about the situation growing, Modi has insisted that his government does not aim to marginalise Muslims, tweeting this week that the new law "does not affect any citizen of India of any religion".

But many in India's 200-million-strong Muslim minority fear that they will be the main target of Modi's plans to implement a national "register of citizens" to remove all "infiltrators" by 2024.

News: Ten arrested in clashes outside Spain's Camp Nou stadium during Clasico

News
Ten arrested in clashes outside Spain's Camp Nou stadium during Clasico



AFP / Pau Barrena Ten people were arrested during independence protests at the Clasico in Barcelona

Ten people were arrested and over 60 injured in clashes between Catalan separatists and police outside of Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium on Wednesday night as Barcelona and Real Madrid faced off, local authorities said Thursday.

Masked protesters set bins on fire and threw rocks and glass bottles at police who responded with foam bullets and baton charges in a street near the stadium during the first "Clasico" match of the season between the two arch-rivals.

Police detained 10 people during the clashes for affront to authority and causing public disorder, said a spokesman for Catalonia's regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra.

Emergency services said it treated 64 people for light injuries, including 39 police officers.

But the police spokesman said a total of 56 officers were injured, including two with broken bones.

Some 3,000 police officers and private security agents had been deployed for the game amid calls for Catalan separatists to protest outside the stadium during the fixture.

The clashes outside the Camp Nou were the first violent incidents in Catalonia since October when Spain's Supreme Court jailed nine Catalan separatist leaders over their role in a failed 2017 bid for independence, triggering days of protests that sometimes ended in clashes with police.

The original fixture in October had to be postponed due to the violent demonstrations across the wealthy northeastern region.

Inside the stadium, the match passed largely undisturbed, save for a brief pause early in the second half as dozens of yellow beach balls were thrown onto the field and had to be removed by stewards.

Thousands of fans also held up blue banners with the words 'Spain, sit and talk' which were given to supporters outside the grounds by Democratic Tsunami, the Catalan independence group that called the demonstration.

Four hours before kick-off, thousands had gathered at the four corners of the stadium to hold the same blue banners and wave Catalan flags, while some blocked traffic too. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.

News: Masterminds of Philippines' worst political massacre jailed

News
Masterminds of Philippines' worst political massacre jailed



AFP / TED ALJIBE A bus carrying dozens of those convicted for their role in the Philippines worst political mass murder leaves court after the verdict

The masterminds of the Philippines' worst political massacre were found guilty Thursday of murder a decade after they led the killings of 58 people, rare convictions of powerful figures in a country notorious for its culture of impunity.

However with dozens of other accused gunmen acquitted, and 80 suspects never having been caught, relatives of the victims as well as rights groups gave a mixed response to the verdicts.

Leaders of the powerful Ampatuan family dynasty orchestrated the November 23, 2009, killings in a remote part of the conflict-plagued south of the Philippines in a bid to quash an election challenge from a rival clan.

Thirty-two journalists, travelling in a convoy to report on the filing of an Ampatuan rival's election candidacy, were among those murdered, making the killings one of the worst ever globally of media workers.

A Manila court on Thursday found 43 people guilty as principals or accessories to 57 of the murders.

They were found not guilty of the 58th murder because the body of the final victim was never recovered.

Andal Ampatuan Jnr, who had been planning to succeed his namesake father by running for governor of Maguindanao province, was among those found guilty of murder.


AFP / 2009 Philippine massacre


As principal suspects, Ampatuan Jnr and 27 others -- including seven of his relatives -- were each sentenced to at least 30 years in jail without parole.

"Their acts were deliberate and obviously in pursuance of their plan to kill," the court ruling read.

Fourteen members of the local police and a member of the Ampatuan family's armed militia force were sentenced to between eight and 10 years in prison as accessories.

However two clan leaders and more than 50 other police officers and alleged members of the Ampatuan militia were acquitted.

The cases against them had not been proved beyond a reasonable doubt, according to the court ruling.

Eighty suspects also remain at large.

"This makes us sad and happy at the same time, because (only) some of the major suspects were convicted," Esmael Mangudadatu, the Ampatuans' rival, told reporters outside the courtroom.


 AFP / Maria TAN Philippine congressman Esmael Mangudadatu (white shirt) is escorted by security personnel to hear the verdict. His decision to run for governor and challenge the Ampatuan family led to the massacre of 58 people, including his wife and two sisters

The massacre unfolded when Mangudadatu sent his wife and two sisters to file his candidacy for governor of Maguindanao province in an open challenge to the Ampatuans.

Gunmen blocked the convoy, which included the journalists, and herded them to a nearby hill where they were killed in a hail of gunfire and buried in mass graves, along with their vehicles, prosecutors said.

The Ampatuans had until then ruled Maguindanao and were allowed to build a heavily armed militia by then-president Gloria Arroyo to serve as a buffer against a long-running Muslim insurgency in the region.

The murders had cast a spotlight on the Philippines' notorious culture of impunity, in which powerful and wealthy politicians and businessmen often operate above the law.

Human Rights Watch Philippines researcher Carlos Conde described Thursday's events as "partial justice", citing the acquittal of more than 50 suspects and others remaining at large as the main concerns.

"The broader significance, however, of the guilty verdict of the principal Ampatuan suspects clearly indicate a victory for justice. This signifies to Filipino politicians that they will pay a price for abusing the rights of constituents."

The Philippines' main media union offered a similar response.

"These people have won a great victory today, but they remain in danger," National Union of Journalists of the Philippines chairman Jose Espina told reporters in Manila.

Amnesty International regional director Nicholas Bequelin called the verdict "a critical step towards justice for victims of one of the worst killings of journalists in history," but called on Manila to find and prosecute the other suspects.

During the case's years of delays, patriarch Andal Ampatuan Snr and seven other defendants died, while some witnesses were murdered.

The Ampatuans remain a political force in the south.

Ampatuan family members won 25 local seats in May elections including Sajid Ampatuan, who was among those acquitted Thursday but did not show up in court. Sajid is one of Ampatuan Jnr's brothers.

News: Trump impeached for abuse of power

News
Trump impeached for abuse of power



 AFP / Brendan Smialowski US President Donald Trump has become just the third occupant of the White House in American history to be impeached

President Donald Trump was impeached for abuse of power in a historic vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting up a Senate trial on removing him from office after three turbulent years.

By a 230 to 197 vote in the Democratic-majority House, the 45th US president became just the third occupant of the White House in American history to be impeached.

Democrats said they had "no choice" but to formally charge the 73-year-old Republican, whose impeachment along stark party lines places an indelible stain on his record while driving a spike ever deeper into the US political divide.

"What is at risk here is the very idea of America," said Adam Schiff, the lawmaker who led the impeachment inquiry, ahead of the vote.

Trump will now stand trial in the Senate, where his Republicans hold a solid majority and are expected to exonerate him.


AFP / JEFF KOWALSKY By a twist of fate, a long planned Donald Trump rally in the small city of Battle Creek, Michigan, coincided with the very moment of his impeachment


The House vote came four months after a whistleblower blew open the scandal of Trump pressuring Ukraine's president to investigate his potential White House challenger in 2020, the veteran Democrat Joe Biden.

After a marathon 10-hour debate, lawmakers also voted 229-198 to approve the second article of impeachment facing Trump -- for obstructing the congressional probe into his Ukraine dealings.

Trump spent the first part of the day holed up at the White House, tweeting in frustration, but on Wednesday night the president was on friendlier territory.

In an extraordinary split screen moment, as the House was casting votes to impeach him, thousands of Trump's most fervent supporters were cheering him at a rally in Michigan where he railed against a "radical left" he said was "consumed with hatred."


AFP / SAUL LOEB After a marathon 10-hour debate, House lawmakers voted to impeach Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress

"The Democrats are declaring their deep hatred and disdain for the American voter," Trump said to boos and cheers.

"They've been trying to impeach me from day one. They've been trying to impeach me from before I ran," he said.

"Four more years, four more years," the crowd chanted back.

Despite testimony from 17 officials that Trump leveraged his office for political gain, the president maintained his innocence throughout the impeachment inquiry -- denouncing it as an "attempted coup" and an "assault on America."

- 'Threat to national security' -

White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham blasted the House vote as "one of the most shameful political episodes in the history of our Nation," saying Trump "is prepared for the next steps and confident that he will be fully exonerated.


AFP / Gal ROMA US impeachment vote


Neither of the two previous presidents impeached since 1789, Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998, was convicted in the Senate, and both held onto their jobs.

But despite the high likelihood of Trump being cleared by Senate Republicans, Democrats said that overwhelming evidence had forced the House to act.

"It is tragic that the president's reckless actions make impeachment necessary. He gave us no choice," said Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"It is a matter of fact that the president is an ongoing threat to our national security and the integrity of our elections."

The day of dramatic and often angry oratory saw both sides delving deep into Constitutional law, citing the country's hallowed founders Benjamin Franklin or Alexander Hamilton, as outside Congress protesters clamored for impeachment.

Republicans claimed Trump was treated more unfairly than those tried as witches in the 17th century -- or even than Jesus Christ.


 GETTY IMAGES/AFP / WIN MCNAMEE Protesters rallied in support of Donald Trump's impeachment outside the US Capitol

"Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers. During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than the Democrats afforded this president and this process," said Georgia Republican Barry Loudermilk.

"Voters will never forget that Democrats have been triggered into impeaching the president, because they don't like him, and they don't like us," charged Republican Matt Gaetz.

On Wednesday night, Trump himself weighed in, tweeting an ominous black and white photo of himself, finger pointing forward, captioned: "In reality they're not after me(.) They're after you(.) I'm just in the way."

- Battle opens over Senate trial -

Both sides were already gearing up for a battle over the Senate trial, where Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has the upper hand in setting rules and has already said he will coordinate with Trump's team in doing so.

That could lead to a trial as short as two weeks, which by acquitting the president could turn impeachment into a political win in the run-up to the November 2020 election.

Democrats declared after Wednesday's vote that McConnell needs testimony from four current and former White House aides with direct knowledge of Trump's Ukraine dealings -- and who he blocked from testifying in the House.

"The question is now whether Senator McConnell will allow a fair trial in the Senate, whether the majority leader will allow a trial that involves witnesses and testimony and documents," said Schiff.

Pelosi hinted that the House leaders could hold off sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate to pressure McConnell on the witness issue.

"So far, we haven't seen anything that looks fair to us," she told reporters. "We'll decide what that dynamic is."

"But right now, the president is impeached."
source: AFP

News : Ozil cut from video game in China over Xinjiang comments

News
Ozil cut from video game in China over Xinjiang comments



IKIMAGES/AFP / Ian KINGTON Mesut Ozil has been deleted from Chinese versions of the Pro Evolution Soccer game

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has been deleted from Chinese versions of the popular Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) mobile game, the title's China distributor has said, as the fallout builds over his criticism of the country's treatment of its Uighur minority.

US-listed Chinese internet company NetEase said it removed Ozil from the game due to his "extreme comment about China."

Ozil, a German national of Turkish origin, condemned China's crackdown on Muslim minorities in the western region of Xinjiang in a tweet last Friday and criticised Muslim countries for failing to speak up about the alleged abuses.

Arsenal has distanced itself from his comments, while China said his tweets were "untruthful" and that he was "deceived by fake news".

Meanwhile, German Bundesliga club FC Cologne pulled out of a football academy in China, citing a re-evaluation of "resources and priorities".

But senior official Stefan Mueller-Roemer, a former club president and now head of the fan council, told local newspaper Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger that "we don't need China in sport", charging that "human rights are massively disrespected" in the country.

China has faced growing international condemnation for setting up a vast network of camps in Xinjiang, where critics say Uighurs are pressured to renounce Islam, support the ruling Communist Party, and integrate with China's majority Han culture.

Rights groups and experts say more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated, part of a long-term government response to tame years of persistent violent unrest against Beijing's control of Xinjiang.

Ozil had tweeted in Turkish: "Korans are being burnt... Mosques are being shut down... Muslim schools are being banned... Religious scholars are being killed one by one... Brothers are forcefully being sent to camps."

"The Muslims are silent. Their voice is not heard," he wrote against a blue backdrop with a white crescent moon -- the flag of 'East Turkestan', the term many Uighur separatists use for Xinjiang.

Shortly afterward, NetEase announced on its verified Chinese social media accounts that Ozil's comments had "hurt the feelings of Chinese fans and violated the sport's spirit of love and peace".

"We do not understand, accept or forgive this comment," it said.

Konami, the Japanese developer of the game, declined to comment on the matter when contacted by AFP.

Following Ozil's comments, Chinese state television dropped plans to broadcast the English Premier League club's match last Sunday, and discussion of the topic is now heavily censored in China.

China at first denied that the camps existed but later acknowledged them as foreign pressure grew, saying they were vocational training centres.

In a similar episode, China moved in October to punish the NBA's Houston Rockets after its general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters.

Ozil has been praised on Twitter for speaking out, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also weighing this week.

"China's Communist Party propaganda outlets can censor @MesutOzil1088 and @Arsenal's games all season long, but the truth will prevail," Pompeo wrote on Twitter, chastising China for its "gross" rights violations against Uighurs.

Turkey, which shares linguistic and ethnic ties with the Uighurs, has been outspoken on the issue but most Muslim-majority countries have been muted in the face of China's commercial and diplomatic power.
source: AFP

Grim Christmas on the menu for Paris restaurants as strike bites

source: AFP
News
Grim Christmas on the menu for Paris restaurants as strike bites



AFP / BULENT KILIC Riot police massed outside a cafe in Paris during a protest against the French government's planned pension overhaul.

The clock has just struck noon and Guillaume Join, who has finished setting tables at his bistrot in the shadow of the Sorbonne, wonders how many will be filled as a pensions strike has paralysed much of Paris for two weeks.

"Normally we have at least 80 lunch sittings a day, but yesterday we had just 12," said Join, whose L'Ecritoire restaurant has seen sales halved since the protest began on December 5.

Even the terrasse, usually crowded with students hanging out where Charles Baudelaire is said to have presented his lyrical masterpiece "Les Fleurs du Mal," is empty.

With no end to the strike in sight, Paris restaurants are at the forefront of businesses facing another bleak Christmas, a year after violent "yellow vest" demonstrations in the capital drove away locals and tourists alike.

"In the mornings people are stressed out trying to get to work on time, at lunchtime few people go out, and at night they rush to get home," Join said -- he himself has had to replace one of his two cooks who lives outside the city and could not find a way in.

On the other side of the Seine, Le Mesturet, a bistrot popular with office workers near the Opera, posted a joke on its Twitter account about the vanished trains, saying "it's better to laugh than cry" about seeing half as many clients as usual.

Trade groups have sounded the alarm, with the UMIH hospitality union calling Wednesday for a moratorium on terrasse fees that cafes and restaurants pay the city.

"It's catastrophic," said Join. "Chain restaurants have bigger profits and can hold out for a month or two, but not independents."

- 'Give them a hand' -

Franck Delvau, co-president of the UMIH, confirmed that many Paris restaurants had reported revenue drops of 50 to 60 percent from a year earlier -- when sales were already suffering from the "yellow vest" disruptions.

"Once people finally make it home after a day of misery, they don't want to go back out again," he said.

The Procos retailers' federation said that revenues at Paris businesses overall were down 25 to 30 percent last week because of the strike.

France's CDCF commerce board said businesses in other cities have been less impacted since residents often have cars and are less reliant on public transport.

The government has already moved to alleviate the pain, accelerating the reimbursement of tax credits and allowing businesses to delay some tax payments -- the same measures used during the height of the "yellow vest" protests.

Junior Economy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher on Friday urged people to patronise local businesses during the crucial holiday season, saying "it's time to give them a hand".

- 'It's close' -

With Paris metro lines closed or providing only a handful of trains each day, and streets swollen with traffic jams, tourists were finding it hard to get to famed eateries or the hottest new arrivals on the Paris food scene.

Outside the Bouillon Chartier, the Belle Epoque institution that eschews reservations, the usual line to get in is much shorter than normal this week.

Debora Orosco, 30, visiting from Mexico with a friend, was checking out snails in garlic and parsley sauce and other classics on the menu posted outside.

"Some friends told us this is a great place to eat," she told AFP.

"But the truth is that we came because it's close to where we're staying... The strike makes it a lot longer to get from one side of the city to the other," she said, smiling as a white-aproned waiter ushered them in to an empty table.

Accountant Job at Paykobo Paykobo

Accountant Job at Paykobo

Paykobo

Lagos

Paykobo.com is a leading e-commerce retailer that is into manufacturing, marketing and sales of data card and sales of wide ranges of technology products. Also, helps customers with sourcing technology requirements from all over the world.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Position: Accountant
Job Location: Lagos
Job Type: Full time
Job Description

• Gathering and monitoring financial data
• Preparing monthly, quarterly and annual statements (balance sheets and income statements)
• Monitor and report on accounting discrepancies
• Manage all accounting transactions
• Prepare budget forecasts
• Publish financial statements in time
• Reconcile accounts payable and receivable
• Ensure timely bank payments
• Manage & compute tax payment and prepare tax returns
• Manage balance sheets and profit/loss statements
• Audit financial transactions and documents
• Reinforce financial data confidentiality and conduct database backups when necessary
• Comply with financial policies and regulations
• Analyze financial trends
• Perform month-end, quarterly and year-end close processes.

Job Qualification

• 1 year of proven work experience as a Financial Accountant or similar role.
• OND / HND in Accounting, Finance or relevant field.
• Hands-on experience with accounting software like FreshBooks and QuickBooks
• Advanced MS Excel skills including Vlookups and pivot tables
• Experience with general ledger functions
• Diligent and Hardworking
• Strong attention to detail and good analytical skills

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: humanresources1@paykobo.com.ng using the Job Title as the subject of the email.

Job Vacancy For Chief Financial Officer at IBFCAlliance Limited

Chief Financial Officer

Lagos

IBFCAlliance Limited - Our client, a newly established Nigerian mega store (A Mega Retail Outlet) engaged in the supermarket and department store retailing industry is recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Chief Financial Officer

Location: Lagos
Job Description
The CFO will be responsible for:

• Overseeing & supervising the financial & management accounting functions
• Monitoring Institutional performance
• Advising on and ensuring financial policies are enforced
• Track and communicates shareholder value
• Constantly review the economic and business landscape of the company
• Financial planning including treasury management and capital allocation/ planning for growth initiatives
• Management of the finance department personnel
• Participate in key decisions as a member of the executive management team
• Monitor cash flow position as well as cash forecasts
• Ensure optimum financing structure (debt and equity)
• Ensure that the company complies with all legal and regulatory requirements
• Tax planning & statutory reporting.

Job Requirements

Min Required Experience:

12 year(s)

Min Qualification:

Bachelor's Degree/HND

Desired Courses:

Not Specified

Other Requirements:

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• First Degree in Accounting, Economics or business related field.
• Professional qualifications such as ACCA, ACA or ACMA, MBA or MSc Finance will be an added advantage

Required Skills:

• Oral and written communication skills
• Strong leadership and negotiating skills
• Organisational awareness
• Entrepreneurial minded i.e. business and financial acumen
• Good understanding of accounting systems
• Strategic perspective
• People management skills
• Knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning software will be an advantage.

Work Experience:

• Minimum of twelve (12) years of quality experience, 5 of which should be in a Super Mart / FMCG industry
• Minimum of seven (7) years in the Finance / Accounting role and at least four (4) years of which must be in top management and financial planning roles

Personality Profile:

• Ambitious, Self-motivated, Articulate and Confident

Age:

• 35-45 years.

Application Closing Date
19th January, 2020.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: recruitment@ibfcalliance.com using the Job Title as the subject of the email.

Job Vacancy For Schedule Management / Reconciliation Analyst

Schedule Management / Reconciliation Analyst

Lagos

Pensions Alliance Limited (PAL Pensions) is a licensed Pension Fund Administrator with over 10 years of professional experience in Pension Funds Administration. We were incorporated on April 14, 2005 to manage and administer retirement savings contributions of employees in Nigeria as a result of the Pension Reform Act of 2004.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Schedule Management / Reconciliation Analyst
Location: Lagos
Responsibilities

• Reconciliation of processed contributions with members’ contribution in GL
• Upload of bank lodgements into the system and preparation of schedule for all monies not uploaded
• Responsible for ensuring Remittance schedules are well accounted for, updated in remittance control and employer folder are sent to the Custodian for processing.
• Liaise with the Relationship Management team on Remittance Schedules and movement of clients between employers

Job Requirements

Min Required Experience:

1 year(s)

Min Qualification:

Bachelor's Degree/HND

Desired Courses:

Not Specified

Other Requirements:

Requirements

• Minimum of Second class degree in Accounting/Business Administration or any numerate discipline
• 1-3 years working experience preferably in the Pensions/Finance industry
• Strong Numerical Analysis skills
• Not more than 27 years old
• Ability to work with heavy data
• Excellent Use of the Computer and core competence in MS excel
• Presenting and Communicating Information.

Application Closing Date
24th December, 2019.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should forward their CV / Resume to: careers@palpensions.com indicating the Job Title as the subject of the email.

Massive Job Vacancies at The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

• The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region
  

  Contents

  • Open Jobs
    1. Monitoring & Evaluation Officer
    2. Communication Officer - P3
    3. Principal Programme Officer - Veterinary Governance - P5
    4. Director of External Relations
    5. Office Manager (Bilingual Secretaries)
    6. Officer, Community Decisions Monitoring and Coordination - P5
    7. Principal Program Officer, Information and Communication - P5
    8. Director, PPDU- D2
  • Method of Application

  Monitoring & Evaluation Officer

  • Job TypeFull Time  
  • QualificationBA/BSc/HND  
  • Experience 5 years
  • Location Other
  • Job Field Finance / Accounting / Audit  
   
  Location: Praia, Cabo Verde
  Institution: Ecowas Commission
  Grade: P3 / P4
  Agency: ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency - Ecreee
  Departement: Energy and Mines
  Directorate: Energy and Mines
  Division: Office of the Executive Director
  Line Supervisor: Executive Director
  
  Role Overview
  

  • The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer is expected to play the cross-cutting function of guiding the planning of program results, and the monitoring and evaluation of progress towards achievement of those results across the organization
  • With support from the Office of Executive Director, the M&E Officer provides general leadership, sets standards and maintains oversight of ECREEE’s entire monitoring and evaluation function
  • The M&E is a core member of the agency’s strategic plan implementation committee, ensuring that overall performance is measured and adequately disseminated.

  Roles and Responsibilities
  

  • Coordinate planning, monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects;
  • Periodically update existing procedures for projects performance monitoring and evaluation, and champion their use by programme officers and other related staff;
  • Lead the development of plans for monitoring and evaluation of projects;
  • Support programme officers to monitor implementation of projects’ performance;
  • Coordinate periodic performance reviews of projects;
  • Provide technical and coordinate administrative support to external evaluators to conduct planned evaluations;
  • Lead the reporting of results to ECREEE management, Board and ECOWAS Commission;
  • Identify M&E capacity needs within ECREEE and, design and deliver, and/or recommend external capacity building opportunities, and
  • Conduct any related tasks assigned by the Executive Director.

  Academic Qualification and Experience
  

  • Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in Economics, Development Economics, Sociology, Statistics, Public Administration, Management, or Other Social Sciences from a recognized university;
  • 5 years of relevant experience in strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation;
  • Knowledge of the  Result Based Management  approach to planning, monitoring, evaluation of development interventions;
  • Knowledge of rules, policies, and guidelines of development partners;
  • Professional technical knowledge/expertise in collect and data analysis.

  Age Limit:
  

  • Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

  Ecowas Key Competencies:
  

  • Ability to persuade/influence others to consider a certain point of view, adopt a new idea or implement new methods and practices;
  • Ability to lead a team of trainees/junior staff and instill a spirit of teamwork to engage employees and achieve a well-defined set of activities;
  • Ability to respect the chain of command in an appropriate manner;
  • Ability to resolve challenges that occur with minimal direction and/or to recommend and explain solutions or alternatives for approval;
  • Ability to utilize the  Code of Ethics to manage self, others, information, and resources;
  • Ability to mentor others and create feedback loops with supervisors, colleagues, and the subordinates to build strong working relationships and improve performance.
  • Contribute to maintaining organizational unit’s performance goals and standards.
  • Interpersonal skills with the ability to keep key stakeholders informed about progress or setbacks, paying attention to timelines and, quality work;
  • Ability to proactively interact with clients and build strong trusting relationships based on mutual respect and regular discussions;
  • Ability to establish and sustain professional credibility with clients/stakeholders in a manner that anticipates their need, mitigates issues and that carefully balances professional obligations with the need to be sensitive and responsive to their needs;
  • Ability to counsel, advise, consult and guide others on matters pertaining to assigned responsibilities and established  client service standards;
  • Demonstrate respect for cultural differences, fairness, and ability to relate well with people from varied backgrounds, nationality, gender, ethnicity, race, and religion;
  • Understanding of diverse cultural views especially within West Africa, with sensitivity to group differences; ability to challenge bias and to practice tolerance and empathy;
  • Ability to listen actively, consider people’s concerns and apply  judgement, tact, and diplomacy;
  • Ability to work in a diverse and inclusive interactive environment that benefits from diverse strengths;
  • Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work;
  • Ability to encourage, empower, and advocate for people in an unbiased and transparent manner.
  • Knowledge of ECOWAS institutions, sectors, programmes and policies;
  • Knowledge of ECOWAS internal operational requirements of programs, projects, services and systems required to achieve work assignments and meet performance goals;
  • Knowledge of rules and procedures of ECOWAS associated assigned responsibilities and ability to explain these clearly to others;
  • Knowledge of the ECOWAS culture, structures and performance issues and priorities impacting assigned responsibilities;
  • Knowledge of member states development trends, indicators, challenges, and opportunities as it relates to project / programme assigned to own position.
  • Ability to study data/information from a variety of sources, identify anomalies, trends, and issues, present findings, and make  recommendations;
  • Ability to break down problems or processes into key parts to identify and solve gaps in service, quality assurance, compliance and performance targets;
  • Knowledge of and ability to apply techniques to generate creative ideas and new approaches to meeting goals;
  • Ability to use evidence and research to inform policies and programs and identify relevant and appropriate sources of information, including stakeholders, regional institutions and/or internal committees.
  • Demonstrate proficiency  in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and web-based data management;
  • Ability to make sound use of graphics and tables to effectively present numerical data to write semi-complex technical reports/proposals and edit/check templates, letters, etc.
  • Ability to convey information clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner through both writing and verbal means;
  • Exhibit interpersonal skills, make presentations, express opinions and debate ideas with others in a constructive manner;
  • Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
  • Ability to develop,  implement an individual action plan for achieving specific work  goals;
  • Identify, organize and monitor tasks throughout to facilitate execution;
  • Ability to contribute and/or lead on projects as per accepted project management standards and techniques, to co-ordinate contributions by others  to set and meet deadlines;
  • Ability to organize work, set priorities, and work within timelines, giving attention to details, stakeholders, indicators, and risks;
  • Ability to formulate results, identify/construct indicators, and lead the determination of targets and collect indicator data to monitor performance and to take proactive remedial action as required.
  Annual Salary
  UA37,651.28, USD 59,406.19 / UA 44,032.04, USD 69,473.75
  
  go to method of application »

  Communication Officer - P3

  • Job TypeFull Time  
  • QualificationBA/BSc/HND  
  • Experience 5 years
  • Location Abuja
  • Job Field Media / Advertising / Branding  
   
  Institution: ECOWAS Commission
  Grade: P3
  Department: Office of the President
  Directorate: Communication
  Division: Information and Communications
  Line Supervisor: Principal Programme Officer, Information & Communication
  Supervising: Programme Assistants Multimedia, Photographer & Cameraman, Videographer
  
  Role Overview
  

  • Under the overall guidance and supervision of the PPO, Information and Communication, the Communication Officer shall structure, collect, process and disseminate information on Commission’s activities and programmes.

  Role and Responsibilities
  

  • Structure, collect, process and disseminate information on Commission’s activities;
  • Assist in enhancing and promoting Commission’s projects, programmes activities  and achievements;
  • Assist for continuous improvement of internal and external communication of the Commission;
  • Contribute to the definition, development  and implementation of communication plans and strategies;
  • Contribute for content and design of various publications
  • Implement successfully public awareness campaigns on the organisation’s activities;
  • Strong computer skills (Word, Power Point & Internet surfing);
  • Draft speeches, communiques, press releases and reviews;
  • Design and structure press kits;
  • Design advertisements
  • Assist in drafting and designing the Commission’s information bulletin;
  • Produce Regular updates for content of the Commission’s website;
  • Provide continuous information to a dedicated network of regional and international media;
  • Media coverage and support for communication related needs for meetings , press conferences, seminars etc;
  • Assist in the coordination of interviews and media interaction’s for Commission’s management with local, regional and international press;
  • Initiate partnerships and establish strong networks with regional and international media to increase visibility and raise awareness about Commission’s activities;
  • Carry out any other assignment that may be assigned and regularly at short notice.

  Academic Qualification and Experience
  Education:
  

  • Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Mass Communication or related field from a recognized university.
  • 5 years experience in journalism, communications and public relations;
  • Knowledge in developing communication strategies and plans for internal and external communication;
  • Ability to coordinate and manage complex communication campaigns and events;
  • Ability to conceptualize and contribute to design communication campaigns that target  and multicultural audiences;
  • Proven knowledge of communication and the ability to diplomatically handle sensitive situations with target audiences and cultivate productive relationships.

  Age Limit:
  

  • Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

  Ecowas Key Competencies:
  

  • Ability to lead a team of trainees / junior staff and instil a spirit of teamwork to engage employees and achieve a well-defined set of activities;
  • Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
  • Ability to mentor others and create feedback loops with supervisors, colleagues and the subordinates to build strong working relationships and improve performance.
  • Ability to proactively interact with clients and build strong trusting relationships based on mutual respect and regular discussions;
  • Demonstrate respect for cultural differences, fairness and ability to relate well with people from varied backgrounds, nationality, gender, ethnicity, race and religion;
  • Ability to listen actively, consider people’s concerns and apply  judgement, tact and diplomacy.
  • Knowledge of ECOWAS institutions, sectors, programmes and policies;
  • Knowledge of rules and procedures of ECOWAS associated assigned responsibilities and ability to explain these clearly to others;
  • Ability to study data/information from a variety of sources, identify anomalies, trends and issues, present findings, and make  recommendations;
  • Knowledge of and ability to apply techniques to generate creative ideas and new approaches to meeting goals;
  • Demonstrate operational computer proficiency  using appropriate tools;
  • Ability to convey information clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner through both writing and verbal means;
  • Exhibit interpersonal skills, make presentations, express opinions and debate ideas with others in a constructive manner;
  • Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
  • Ability to develop,  implement an individual action plan for achieving specific work  goals;
  • Ability to organize work, set priorities, and work within timelines, giving attention to details, stakeholders, indicators and risks.
  Annual Salary
  UA49,106.81, USD77,480.72
  
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  Principal Programme Officer - Veterinary Governance - P5

  • Job TypeFull Time  
  • QualificationMBA/MSc/MA  
  • Experience 10 years
  • Location Other
  • Job Field Medical / Healthcare  
   
  Location: Bamako, Mali
  Institution: ECOWAS Commission
  Agency: Regional Animal Health Center (RAHC) - Bamako
  Department: Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources
  Directorate: Regional Animal Health Center (RAHC) - Bamako
  Division: Veterinary Governance
  Line Supervisor: Executive Director; Regional Animal Health Center (RAHC) – Bamako
  Grade: P5
  Supervising: 2 Programme Officers
  
  Role Overview
  

  • Under the guidance and supervision of the Executive Director, the Principal Program Officer on Veterinary Regulations will ensure the formulation and implementation of regional and international regulations for good veterinary governance on animal disease control, improved public health and animal welfare that will support the effective and efficient delivery of veterinary services to support food security and nutrition, livelihoods, wealth creation and poverty reduction through the efficient management of animal health in the ECOWAS region in line with the goal of the ECOWAP/CAADP.

  Role and Responsibilities
  

  • Support ECOWAS Member States to strengthen veterinary governance;
  • Formulate and ensure implementation of regional and international veterinary regulations and guidelines
  • Support increased investments in national and regional veterinary governance infrastructure to close the gaps in the OIE Gap Analysis in the ECOWAS region.
  • Formulate, align and implement regional and international veterinary education and training guidelines in the ECOWAS region.
  • Support capacity building and veterinary continuing education and particularly explore online education and training delivery.
  • Formulate and implement regional and international regulatory frameworks and guidelines on veterinary information management and risk communication to populations.
  • Facilitate networking with veterinary regulatory agencies in ECOWAS Member States and other relevant regional and international partners.
  • Facilitate networking with regional and international academic and scientific community.
  • Facilitate regular regional publications on veterinary regulation issues.
  • Support the establishment and/or strengthening of regional socio-economic and risk communication networks.
  • Support the strengthening of regional animal producer/professional network.
  • Ensure the alignment of activities with the implementation of ECOWAP/CAADP and related projects.
  • Experience in project planning, formulation and implementation, as well as funding requirements of major multilateral and bilateral funding partners
  • Undertake other duties that may be assigned by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources.

  Academic Qualification and Experience
  

  • Master's degree (or equivalent) in Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Epidemiology, Veterinary Public Health, Animal Health Economics or a related field from a recognized university;
  • 10 years’ experience with multilateral negotiations and advice to governments with programme fund resource mobilization, 3 years at a supervisory level;
  • Knowledge of relevant veterinary policies and regulations governing livestock sector development;
  • Experience of project formulation and funding requirements of major multilateral and bilateral funding partners;
  • Technical capacity to develop a vision, mission and strategies and to focus on the needs of member countries and to adjust strategies to take account of changing circumstances;

  Age Limit:
  

  • Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

  Key Ecowas Competences
  

  • Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate, strategic plan/priorities as well as the economic, political and social state/trends of member states, as pertains to own scope of work;
  • Exihibit consistency on actions, values, methods, confidentiality, ethics, measures, principles, expectations and outcomes which connotes a deep commitment to do the right thing for the right reason, regardless of the circumstances;
  • Ability to promote a culture where people hold themselves personally accountable for results;
  • Ability to provide leadership, management, and technical oversight for all project activities and program deliverables in accordance with ECOWAS legal and administrative practices and standards;
  • Ability to conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with the ECOWAS performance management system and to mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork;
  • Knowledge of program management at the level usually acquired from a certification in program management;
  • Ability to oversee project management, internal controls and stewardship of financial resources and to address issues in a confident and capable manner whilst making decisions that exemplifies impartial and non-partisan decision-making.
  • Ability to respect the chain of command in an appropriate manner
  • Proficiency in information, communication and technologies (ICT);
  • Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
  • Ability to set effective goals/results and manage change in a manner that demonstrates resilience, composure and a positive outlook in an environment of uncertainty and ambiguity;
  • Ability to use participatory approach in project planning and identifying gaps affecting the achievement of program/project expectations and to design and implement intervention plans required to build the desired task;
  • Ability to implement rigorous monitoring and evaluation practices and to set in place regular reporting schedules relevant to key outputs;
  • Competence in technical writing and editing skills;
  • Ability to set effective goals and targets for self, others, and the work unit and adjusting work or project priorities in response to changing circumstances;
  • Ability to analyze a situation by indicators to assess the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success in making decisions;
  Annual Salary
  UA59373.81, USD93,680.00 per annum.
  
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  Director of External Relations

  • Job TypeFull Time  
  • QualificationMBA/MSc/MA  
  • Experience 12 years
  • Location Abuja
  • Job Field Media / Advertising / Branding  
   
  Institution: ECOWAS Commission
  Agency: N/A
  Department: Office of the President
  Directorate: External Relations
  Division: N/A
  Line Supervisor: President of the Commission
  Grade: D1
  
  Role Overview
  

  • The incumbent shall provide the Commission with information on mechanisms to build effective partnerships that can draw the required financial resources for the implementation of projects, programmes and policies, in line with ECOWAS strategic vision. S/he shall coordinate the full range of the Commission’s external relations policies and programmes.

  Supervising:
  

  • Resource Mobilisation and Coordination
  • Relations with ECOWAS Member States
  • Office Manager
  • Office Aide.

  Role and Responsibilities
  

  • Develop and implement effective mechanisms for the coordination of the Commission’s resource mobilisation strategies in line with ECOWAS strategic vision;
  • Develop mechanisms to monitor and coordinate resource mobilisation with development partners in accordance with the directives of the President of the Commission;
  • Harmonise resource mobilisation activities in line with ECOWAS strategic vision;
  • Develop and implement mechanisms for the implementation of partnership policies and strategies;
  • Prepare technical notes for the President for audiences and various meetings with external partners;
  • Manage the Commission’s relations with different stakeholders involved in the regional integration process and implementation of the Commission’s programmes;
  • Develop and implement mechanisms for effective coordination of relations with ECOWAS National Offices and Permanent Representations in Abuja;
  • Develop and implement procedures to monitor relations with civil society organisations in conjunction with the relevant departments;
  • Develop and ensure the maintenance of a database to adequately monitor partnerships;
  • Manage the accreditation process for new ambassadors, heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations to the Commission;
  • Perform any other tasks assigned by the President of the Commission.

  Academic Qualifications And Experience
  

  • Master's degree (or equivalent) in International Relations, Political Science, Public Administration or a related field from a recognized university;
  • 12 years progressively responsible experience in providing strategic analysis and policy advice, including experience in international organizations;
  • Possesses expert knowledge of advanced concepts of dialogues with regional counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating country, regional and global perspectives, as well as an in-depth knowledge of relevant ECOWAS policies and procedures;
  • Strong knowledge and understanding of ECOWAS’ role in African and international affairs, and good understanding of ECOWAS rules, regulations, policies and guidelines and their applications;
  • Experience working with Member States, Diplomatic corps and Intergovernmental organizations;
  • Sound experience in resource mobilization and coordination;
  • Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of stakeholder management, communication, project management and Partners’ management practices and procedures.

  Age Limit:
  

  • Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

  Ecowas Key Competences:
  

  • Recent and progressive senior leadership experience in establishing strategic partnerships, working collaboratively and building consensus with multiple internal and/or external stakeholders on complex issues in multi-disciplinary governmental or international organizations;
  • Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate, strategic plan/priorities;
  • Exhibit consistency on actions, values, methods, confidentiality, ethics, measures, principles, expectations and outcomes which connotes a deep commitment to do the right thing for the right reason, regardless of the circumstances;
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Heads of Institutions, elected officials and statutory employees to facilitate compliance, build engagement, resolve conflicts and obtain support for change;
  • Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
  • Ability to promote a culture where people hold themselves personally accountable for results;
  • Ability to provide leadership, management, and technical oversight for all project activities and program deliverables in accordance with ECOWAS legal and administrative practices and standards;
  • Ability to conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with the ECOWAS performance management system and to mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork;
  • Ability to oversee project management, internal controls and stewardship of financial resources and to address issues in a confident and capable manner whilst making decisions that exemplifies impartial and non-partisan decision-making.
  • Ability to exercise the initiative and resourcefulness necessary for simultaneously addressing a variety of stakeholder needs, pursuing multiple tasks and achieving positive outcomes;
  • Ability to create synergies with client groups and others to achieve objectives in setting and monitoring service standards and indicators;
  • Ability to motivate and engage others in promoting or adopting best practices in client services;
  • Ability to identify and improve services and client interactions through appropriate networks and to create innovative ways of addressing these in an accountable and transparent manner.
  • Knowledge of anti-discriminatory/human rights regulatory environment and ability to advance strategies to foster an inclusive working environment and healthy organization respectful of cultural diversity and gender balance and free from harassment and discrimination;
  • Understanding of diverse cultural views especially within West Africa, being sensitive to group differences, gender issues and ability to contribute to, advocate for, and/or develop policies which are gender sensitive and responsive to various cultures;
  • Ability to foster a diverse and inclusive interactive work environment that can effectively bring together a wide spectrum of ideas and experiences to solve problems, develop projects/programs and improve results;
  • Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work;
  • Ability to remain objective in managing conflict regardless of cultural differences /positions, gender differences, and encourage other staff to overcome cultural and gender bias and differences.
  • Understanding of the ECOWAS organizational structure, workplace culture and dynamics;
  • Ability to apply knowledge of ECOWAS legal framework, strategic priorities and operational standards to develop/modernize policies and programs and/or to implement policies and programs in a sustainable and effective manner;
  • Well-developed business, social and political acumen, demonstrating a strong commitment to the vision and mandate of ECOWAS;
  • Ability to judge and make decision on matters relating to policy and strategy development important to the realization of the ECOWAS mandate and the improvement of outcomes for member states.
  • Ability to write reports and to analyze reports, and to determine areas of potential obstacles or challenge and develop innovative solutions or alternatives to address barriers and achieve strategic/operational priorities;
  • Ability to anticipate and interpret the effects of environmental changes (social, economic and political), and its impact and make recommendations;
  • Ability to identify/address strengths and weaknesses, stimulate creativity, reduce resistance to change and improve the achievement of strategic objectives;
  • Ability to make prudent decisions relating to the management of human, financial and material resources;
  • Ability to coordinate development partners’ project/programmes cycle management, and to ensure their successful implementation
  • Ability to actively listen and understand perspectives of others to inform assertions, decisions or recommendations;
  • Ability to build multiple external collaborative relationships and networks to support strategic and operational objectives; identify the key issues and accommodate the key players with well thought out communication and stakeholder management plans;
  • Ability to communicate with clarity and conviction, make compelling presentations which promotes new insights, ideas and perspectives and a better understanding of issues and challenges;
  • Exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst team members, to show care and make them feel valued and to drive employee engagement in all institutions and agencies;
  • Excellent negotiation and conflict management skills focusing on building and nurturing effective and collaborative relationships;
  • Proficiency in information communication technologies (ICT);
  • Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
  • Superior planning skills exemplified by setting clear expectations and conducting consistent and effective oversight of performance management practices to ensure goals and standards are met;
  • Ability to set effective goals/results and manage change in a manner that demonstrates resilience, composure and a positive outlook in an environment of uncertainty and ambiguity;
  • Ability to enable the development of organizational and individual talent throughout the implementation of strategic, operational, programme, project and individual plans;
  • Ability to implement plans, mobilizing/engaging people, identifying critical success factors, mitigating risks, monitoring indicators and feedback, initiate corrective measure and building capacities for sustainability;
  • Ability to institute rigorous monitoring, and evaluation practices and to learn from setbacks and mistakes to ensure continuous improvement.
  Annual Salary
  UA81,435.54,USD128,488.99.
  
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  Office Manager (Bilingual Secretaries)

  • Job TypeFull Time  
  • QualificationBA/BSc/HND  
  • Experience 6 years
  • Location Abuja
  • Job Field Administration / Secretarial  
   
  Grade: G5/G6/G7
  Slot: 22 Openings
  Department: General Administration & Conference
  Directorate: General Administration
  Line Supervisor: Line Director
  
  Role Overview
  

  • Under the supervision of the Director, the Office Manager should play a vital role in the smooth running of the Department.
  • From welcoming visitors, to reception of calls, fixing appointments, organizing the schedule of his/her superior, drafting of correspondence and filing documents, his or her duties will be critical to the daily activities of the Department /Directorate. In this regard, he/she should be quite accessible and responsive in the face of competing demands from both internal and external parties.

  Role and Responsibilities
  

  • Management of the Supervisor’s schedule: Manage the Supervisor’s diary and schedule, organise and manage appointments; receive and welcome visitors; make telephone calls; verify in-coming calls to ensure their importance and possibility to respond or transfer to the supervisor.
  • Administrative Management: Organise meetings; receive, draft, type and make follow-up on administrative letters; book meeting rooms; request and provide supplies to the office.
  • Management of mail and documents: Create a recording system of in-coming and out-going mails; ensure e-archiving and e-filing of documents using ECM software for easy retrieval when the need arises; manage documents (in-coming and out-going, filing of letters); ensure follow-up on documents submitted for signature or approval.
  • Computer skills: Knowledge of Ms Office, ECM and other Ecolink software when it is possible. Demonstrate ability in word processing in English, French and/or Portuguese.
  • Perform any other duty assigned by the supervisor.

  Academic Qualifications and Experience
  

  • HND or equivalent in Secretarial Studies or Administration or a related field from a  recognized higher institution;
  • 6 years’ experience in administrative and  secretarial services;
  • Sound judgment and the ability to make reasonable decisions with little supervision;
  • Knowledge of related computer software and relevant ECM filing systems and correspondence-related procedures, guidelines and processes to preparing and using administrative documents and templates.

  Age Limit:
  

  • Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

  Ecowas Key Competencies
  

  • Ability to provide suggestions based on own observations that will improve the way work is accomplished and confidently lead on their implementation as requested;
  • Experience working effectively as a team member, mentoring teams and occasionally leading on discussions and/or replacing other leading roles as required;
  • Ability to support the team by keeping abreast of the team’s initiatives, events and needs, assisting team leaders as required;
  • Ability work under pressure and be dependable for results;
  • Ability to take responsibility for own career and performance and to regularly and independently engage in self-assessment activities
  • Ability to develop and maintain skills and expertise required to perform in the role effectively
  • Excellent work ethics, positivity, motivation, flexibility and problem-solving skills to carry out tasks associated with position;
  • Ability to take initiative to resolve semi-routine problems and make recommendations to improve the quality/quantity of services to clients;
  • Ardent desire to help others in a variety of circumstances of relevance to own work area and to refer to appropriate person for further assistance as required;
  • Ability to work as part of a team in articulating the needs of clients ;
  • Ability to manage own time effectively and meet service standards and objectives related to assigned responsibilities.
  • Understands how to access internal resources or services to enhance cultural awareness and actively seeks to improve multicultural skills when interacting with others with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, especially within west Africa;
  • Ability to listen attentively to people’s ideas, requests and concerns and to understand, internalize and develop diversity management skills in accordance with ECOWAS rules/policies;
  • Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work;
  • Ability to recognize preconceived notions and stereotypical views of certain groups and individuals and to successfully adopt inclusive and culturally appropriate behaviors;
  • Basic understanding of the ECOWAS organizations mandate and its functions, particularly those of own institution/agency;
  • Knowledge of ECOWAS routine procedures and practices as it relates to assigned responsibilities  and work tools;
  • Ability to apply ECOWAS standards for emailing and other routine tasks and to keep records, and information pertaining to assigned work in accordance with rules and regulations;
  • Ability to apply ECOWAS procedures relevant to tasks and demonstrate understanding of associated systems, processes, rules and/or standards sufficiently to explain their necessity and to identify errors and consequences.
  • Numeracy skills with the ability to collect, collate, classify and summarize data following clear and simple instructions;
  • Ability to be innovative with  established procedures with a view of improving performance and/or outputs;
  • Ability to detect and correct errors and to keep accurate records of simple indicators/information;
  • Ability to gather and arrange information and data in a simple and understandable manner.
  • Ability to provide accurate and complete information to supervisor/co-workers/clients as requested, using good judgment, tact and diplomacy;
  •  Ability to use computers with advanced word-processing skills including a working knowledge of spreadsheets, database, inter/intranet, email and social media;
  • Ability to read/listen and understand routine instructions and carry them out with limited supervision;
  • Ability to produce clear, concise, logical and grammatically correct written material in the three ECOWAS official languages  and to have equal verbal language proficiency;
  • Ability to address issues with others in a candid, polite , timely and straightforward manner;
  • Proficiency in  information communication technologies(ICT);
  • Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
  • Ability to organize routine work tasks, to identify solutions to address conflicting priorities or uncertainty in carrying out new or changing tasks;
  • Ability to develop work goals and identify the steps needed to achieve these goals;
  • Ability to understand and contribute to team or work unit goals as directed by supervisor;
  • Ability to work within well-established office practices and balance multiple tasks within set deadlines.
  Annual Salary
  UA25,527.53, USD40,277.34 / UA30,178.98, USD47,616.39 / UA34,933.43, USD55,117.96
  
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  Officer, Community Decisions Monitoring and Coordination - P5

  • Job TypeFull Time  
  • QualificationMBA/MSc/MA  
  • Experience 10 years
  • Location Abuja
  • Job Field Administration / Secretarial  
   
  Institution: ECOWAS Commission
  Agency: N/A
  Department: Office of the President
  Directorate: Secretary - General
  Division: Community Decisions Monitoring and Coordination
  Line Supervisor: Secretary General
  Supervising: Programme Monitoring and Coordination
  Grade: P5
  
  Role Overview
  

  • Under the supervision of the Secretary General, the incumbent will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of Community Decisions in Member States and in the Institution and Agencies, assessing their level of implementation and providing feedback on challenges and status.

  Role And Responsibilities
  

  • Monitors the status of implementation of decisions made by ECOWAS Statutory Organs and provide reports;
  • Liaises with Member States and Community Institutions and Agencies and provides clarification on Decisions made by Statutory Organs of the Community;
  • Establishes appropriate indicators for measuring progress on the implementation of Community Decisions;
  • Develops a framework to assess the impact of Community Decisions on Citizens pf Member States;
  • Ensures information gathered through monitoring activities is shared quickly and in an appropriate format with management so that any problems arising can be resolved;
  • Assesses the efficient utilization of community funds received by Member States relating to the implementation of Community Decisions;
  • Undertakes regular field missions to coordinate implementation of Community decisions in Member States and ensure that they are all at the same level of understanding;
  • Provides advice on ways and means of improving the status of implementation of Community Decisions;
  • Serves as a focal point for Member States and Community Institutions and Agencies with regard to the implementation of Community Decisions;
  • Anticipates, plans and supports funding requirements as they relate to the efficient implementation of Community Decisions;
  • Perform any other tasks assigned by the supervisor

  Academic Qualifications and Experience
  Education:
  

  • Master's degree in Business or Public Administration, Economics or a similar field from a recognized university;
  • 10 years of professional experience in management including 2 years relevant international work and 2 years at a supervisory level;
  • Good knowledge of ECOWAS as a whole and the role of the institutions of the ECOWAS Community;
  • Demonstrated expertise in successively setting up framework to monitor decision-making process;
  • Proven track record on policy work related to governance, economic reform and social issues.

  Age Limit:
  

  • Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

  ECOWAS Key Competences:
  

  • Ability to lead in assigned programmes and projects by providing the necessary managerial and operational expertise required for the fulfillment of the organization’s mandate;
  • Ability to lead by example and organize teamwork to encourage cooperation to achieve targeted results, champion and build momentum for change and to bring about employee engagement;
  • Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
  • Excellent self-management skills, demonstrating ethics and integrity, confidentiality and displaying due regards for internal controls of rules, delegations and transparency;
  • Ability to bring together complementary skills/expertise, assess individual contributions and recognize/address accomplishments and shortcomings in a manner that brings continued success to the organization;
  • Knowledge of program management at the level usually acquired from a certification in program management.
  • Ability to research benchmarks and trends to bring about the best recommendations for the development and improvement of programs/projects that will best serve the community/organization;
  • Well-developed networking and interpersonal skills to seek feedback, information and data from a network of professionals from multiple countries/sectors/organizations and to identify and prioritize the most critical community requirements;
  • Ability to manage and co-ordinate client management initiatives and make recommendations;
  • Ability to develop and implement best practices in client services;
  • Ability to develop and implement stakeholder management plans, programs and initiatives to obtain buy-in on new initiatives, to better understand dissenting views, to obtain resources and to increase perceptions of success.
  • Ability to be diplomatic, tactful and respectful of other people from varied backgrounds, understanding diverse cultural views especially within West Africa with the ability to convert diversity into opportunities to improve program/operational outcomes;
  • Ability to create a diverse and inclusive interactive environment that benefits from diverse strengths bringing together innovative practices;
  • Ability to remain objective in managing conflict regardless of cultural differences /positions, gender differences, and encourage other staff to overcome cultural and gender bias and differences;
  • Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work;
  • Ability to serve the interest of culturally diverse multinational teams/organizations/communities and persons with disability without prejudice and bias
  • Understanding of the ECOWAS organizational structure, associated dynamics and expectations as required to collaborate, participate, contribute and lead effectively;
  • Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate, strategic plan/priorities as well as the economic, political and social situation and trends in Member States, as pertains to own scope of work;
  • Knowledge of ECOWAS best practices, program management approaches and research techniques to lead and/or contribute to the development or assessment of programs, projects or initiatives;
  • Knowledge of the ECOWAS rules and procedures in order to appropriately interpret and apply directive or text, provide technical advice, coach others and assess performance.
  • Ability to analyze a situation by using indicators to assess the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success in making decisions;
  • Ability to pull together information from different sources to identify the cause of problems, consequences of alternative causes of action, potential obstacles and ways to avoid the problem in the future;
  • Ability to break down very complex situations/information into simple terms  to explain recommendations and conclusions aimed at solving problems or improving operations/programs/projects;
  • Ability to develop new insights into situations, apply innovative solutions to problems and to design new methods of addressing issues or disconnects where established methods and procedures are inapplicable or no longer effective.
  • Ability to communicate with impact, clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner conveying credibility & confidence when making presentations, setting expectations and explaining complex issues;
  • Ability to listen intently and correctly interpret messages from others and respond appropriately;
  • Accomplished technical writing and editing skills;
  • Exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst team members and to drive employee engagement in all institutions and agencies;
  • Ability to give constructive feedback, provide recognition, address shortcomings and motivate direct reports to work at peak performance;
  • Proficiency in information communication technologies(ICT);
  • Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
  • Organizational and project/program management skills with significant experience identifying timelines, targets, costs and resources necessary to deliver on operational/program/project outputs in line with result-based management approach;
  • Ability to set effective goals and targets for self, others, and the work unit and adjusting work or project priorities in response to changing circumstances;
  • Ability to use participatory approach in project planning and identify gaps affecting the achievement of program/project expectations and to design and implement intervention plans required to build the desired task;
  • Ability to implement rigorous monitoring and evaluation practices and to set in place regular reporting schedules relevant to key outputs;
  • Ability to plan, organize, control resources, and to comply with policies, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
  Annual Salary
  UA66,123.98, USD104,330.42.
  
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  Principal Program Officer, Information and Communication - P5

  • Job TypeFull Time  
  • QualificationMBA/MSc/MA  
  • Experience 10 years
  • Location Abuja
  • Job Field Media / Advertising / Branding  
   
  Institution: ECOWAS Commission
  Agency: N/A
  Department: Office of the President
  Directorate: Communication
  Division: Information and Communication
  Line Supervisor: Director, Communication
  Grade: P5
  
  Role Overview
  

  • Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Director of Communication, Principal Program Officer, information and Communication will organize, coordinate, implement and supervise all information and communication activities of the Division.

  Supervising:
  

  • Communication Officers
  • Information and Public Relations Officers
  • Website and Social Media

  Role And Responsibilities
  

  • Supervise the definition of ECOWAS Communication Strategy and its implementation;
  • Organize, coordinate and supervise all information and communication activities;
  • Assist in enhancing the Commission’s internal and external communication;
  • Develop, implement and monitor communication plans and strategies;
  • Supervise the design and production of communication tools/publications such as leaflets, flyers, information notes, brochures, notice boards etc
  • Draft internal communication, speeches , communiques, press releases and reviews;
  • Coordinate the design , production and dissemination strategy of the Commission’s information bulletin;
  • Supervise the revamping and updating of Commission’s website and social networks and develop inherent strategies;
  • Organise public awareness and sensitization campaigns on Commission’s activities and programmes;
  • Manage content and strategy for the Commission’s continuous information flow to regional and international media;
  • Establish and set up a permanent network of specialized and dedicated media /journalists in each member country and international
  • Supervise the definition of a strategy for the promotion of ECOWAS as an organization to Member States and citizens of West Africa, regional and international organizations, development partners and the general public etc;
  • Generate enhanced visibility of Commission’s activities and programmes;
  • Coordinate media coverage of ECOWAS regular, statutory and extraordinary meetings ( meetings, public and press conferences of Heads of State and Government , Council of Ministers, ministerial meetings, Civilian Stakeholders etc);
  • Execute any other tasks as may be assigned to him/her within deadlines.

  Academic Qualifications And Experience
  

  • Master's degree (or equivalent) in Journalism, Public Relations or any related specialized field from a recognized university;
  • 10 years responsible experience in journalism, communications, public relations, or related field of which 3 years is at a supervisory level
  • Proven competence in developing content and implementing wide range communications strategies to broaden awareness of Activities, Programmes and priorities;
  • Knowledge and experience in drafting communication strategies and plans in order to ensure visibility across key audiences and media;
  • Ability to conceptualize and design on target communication campaigns for diversified and larger audiences.

  Age Limit:
  

  • Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

  Ecowas Key Competences:
  

  • Ability to lead in assigned programmes and projects by providing the necessary managerial and operational expertise/technicity required for the fulfillment of the organization’s mandate;
  • Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
  • Excellent self-management skills, demonstrating ethics and integrity, confidentiality and displaying due regards for internal controls of rules, delegations and transparency;
  • Ability to bring together complementary skills/expertise, assess individual contributions and recognize/address accomplishments and shortcomings in a manner that brings continued success to the organization;
  • Ability to work within very short deadlines
  • Ability to manage change in orientations, instructions and content and react appropriately
  • Well-developed networking and interpersonal skills to seek feedback, information and data from a network of professionals from multiple countries/sectors/organizations and to identify and prioritize the most critical community requirements;
  • Ability to develop and implement best practices in client services;
  • Ability to service internal communication requests across board ECOWAS : Commission, Institutions and Agencies
  • Ability to be diplomatic, tactful and respect of other people from varied backgrounds, understanding diverse cultural views especially within West Africa with the ability to convert diversity into opportunities to improve program/operational outcomes;
  • Ability to remain objective in managing conflict regardless of cultural differences /positions, gender differences, and encourage other staff to overcome cultural and gender bias and differences;
  • Understanding of the ECOWAS organizational structure, associated dynamics and expectations as required to collaborate, participate, contribute and lead effectively;
  • Ability to pull together information from different sources to identify the cause of problems, consequences of alternative causes of action, potential obstacles and ways to avoid the problem in the future;
  • Ability to develop new insights into situations, apply innovative solutions to problems and to design new methods of addressing issues or disconnects where established methods and procedures are inapplicable or no longer effective.
  • Ability to listen intently and correctly interpret messages from others and respond appropriately;
  • Exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst team members, to show care and make them feel valued and to drive employee engagement in all institutions and agencies;
  • Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
  • Ability to set effective goals and targets for self, others, and the work unit and adjusting work or project priorities in response to changing circumstances;
  • Ability to plan, organize, control resources, and to comply with policies, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
  Annual Salary
  UA66,123.98, USD104,330.42.
  
  
  
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  Director, PPDU- D2

  • Job TypeFull Time  
  • QualificationMBA/MSc/MA  
  • Experience 15 years
  • Location Other
  • Job Field Administration / Secretarial  
   
  Location: Lome, Togo
  Institution: ECOWAS Commission
  Agency: ECOWAS Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU)
  Department: Infrastructure
  Directorate: PPDU
  Division: N/A
  Line Supervisor: PPDU Steering Committee / Commissioner for Infrastructure
  Supervising: All PPDU Staff
  Grade: D2
  
  Role Overview
  The PPDU was established by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers Regulation C/REG.5/08/11 as a Specialized Agency of the Community responsible for the preparation and development of regional infrastructure projects, to prepare bankable infrastructure investment projects which will attract private and public sector financing.
  
  Guided by Article 2 of the PPDU Regulation C/REG. 5/08/11), the Director of the PPDU shall act as the principal representative of the PPDU in its dealings with all the key stakeholders. The Director shall manage a team of experts under the supervision of the PPDU Steering Committee, in collaboration with the Departments in charge of the Infrastructure sector (Transport, Energy and ICT) of the ECOWAS Commission and national or intergovernmental structures in charge of infrastructure project preparation, the private sector and the technical partners to prepare and develop regional integration infrastructure projects in ECOWAS Member States in order to promote investment in infrastructure from the public and private sector.
  
  Role And Responsibilities
  

  • Lead the identification, selection and prioritization of regional integration infrastructure projects in consultation with the ECOWAS Commission, Member States and the private sector;
  • Initiate and/or undertake the studies and activities required for preparation and development of infrastructure projects with a view to making the projects bankable;
  • Oversee the management of the Infrastructure project preparation Funds, and all the other Funds placed at its disposal;
  • Ensure that the PPDU serves as regional focal point for capacity-building of similar structures in ECOWAS Member States;
  • Lead the mobilization of resources required for preparation and development of infrastructure projects;
  • Help to create an attractive climate for regional infrastructure projects financing and investment;
  • Lead negotiations and conclude cooperation and/or partnership agreements with regional and sub-regional institutions in the area of infrastructure project preparation and development;
  • Ensure monitoring and evaluation of  the implementation of PPDU supported projects;
  • Act as the principal representative of the PPDU in its dealings with all the key stakeholders;
  • Initiate and conduct staff recruitment in conformity with the organizational structure and the relevant procedures, as adopted by the PPDU Steering Committee/ ECOWAS;
  • Enhance the reputation of the Unit by the quality of the projects prepared;
  • Perform such other functions as may be assigned to him/her by the PPDU Steering Committee.

  Academic Qualifications And Experience
  

  • Master's degree (or equivalent) from a recognized university in engineering; or any master’s degree (or equivalent) in applied science related to infrastructure from a university of recognized standing; Masters in economics, business administration or finance with extensive experience in infrastructure projects will be an added advantage.
  • 15 years of progressively responsible experience in infrastructure project development in a senior leadership capacity with a minimum of 7 years’ experience working on issues related to the ECOWAS region; experience working with Member States and delegations in the context of international organizations; extensive experience in programme and project planning, financing and oversight;
  • Knowledge of policy and strategy development, change management and related issues, with broad geographical outcomes/impacts;
  • Ability to lead the development, management/review of reports and papers on technical and policy issues;
  • Knowledge of ECOWAS policies, management, administrative, budgetary and staffing systems, procedures and regulations;
  • Progressive senior leadership experience in establishing strategic partnerships, working collaboratively and building consensus with multiple stakeholders on critical and/or complex issues.
  • Proven competence in preparation, development, design and implementation of infrastructure project financing/ public private partnerships (PPP) investment including conducting feasibility studies, procurement and contract management;
  • Proven record of effectively managing teams to deliver programmes with a strategic vision and operational focus:
  • Demonstrated leadership experience in establishing strategic partnerships, working collaboratively and building consensus with multiple stakeholders (especially National Governments);
  • Proven experience in negotiating and concluding cooperation and/or partnership agreements with regional and international institutions in the area of infrastructure project preparation and development.
  • Experience in mobilizing resources from donors/ development and financing partners
  • The position of the PPDU Director is for a tenure of 5 years renewable once (Article 8.2e ECOWAS Regulation C/REG. 5/08/11)

  Age Limit:
  

  • Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

  Ecowas Key Competences:
  

  • Demonstrated passion and commitment to public service principles, values and ethics, and the practice of accountability in public sector management;
  • Demonstrated ability to promote a balanced perspective on the organization’s leadership and governing body to keep ECOWAS mission, vision, and values at the forefront of employee decision making and actions;
  • Ability to successfully inspire, motivate and engage others to creatively and innovatively solve problems and resolve issues; develops a culture where staff members hold themselves personally accountable for results;
  • Well-developed acumen, superior judgement, tact and diplomacy to work with various interest groups and stakeholders, to influence/enlighten policy direction and to advance strategic priorities;
  • Ability to conduct high-stakes negotiations with high-level clients while taking account of different stakeholder agendas, cultural norms, situational factors, ECOWAS interests; demonstrates the ability to partner with internal and external clients;
  • Ability to identify and capitalize on synergies with other departments, specialized agencies and key actors and partners to achieve objectives;
  • Leads and manages complex service agreements and strategic relationships with member states; leads and/or oversees new program and project activities.
  • Understands diverse cultural views especially within west Africa, and sensitive to group differences; ability to challenge bias and intolerance;
  • Plays a leadership role in shaping the ethics, values and culture of the organization by consistently communicating and exemplifying them;
  • Understands inclusion, the impact of unconscious bias, and how to manage and leverage differences; ability to make/apply the connection between diversity and innovation, and to oversee a talent system that remains inclusive, transparent, and well understood;
  • Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work
  • Ability to identify roadblocks to principles of equity, fairness and transparency, to oversee diversity indicators for planning and program development and to create a workplace free of discrimination and harassment.
  • Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate, strategic plan/priorities as well as the economic, political and social state/trends of member states, especially as pertains to own scope of work;
  • Understanding of the ECOWAS mandate, sector programs and projects as well as  organizational structure, workplace culture and its dynamics;
  • Proven knowledge of the rules and procedures of ECOWAS, the implementation of which is necessary for the realization of goals, the establishment of sound internal controls as well as the monitoring and evaluation of programs, plans and policies;
  • Sound knowledge of ECOWAS partnership agreements, sector programs and projects, procurement, financial and human resources policies and practices as well as internal reforms and capacity development initiatives.
  • Ability to think creatively and innovating generating alternatives, visualizing new possibilities, challenging assumptions, and being open to additional information; adjust priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing tasks;
  • Ability to prioritize action steps to stay focused on key objectives while handling multiple demands and competing priorities;
  • Ability to analyze reporting or working relationships between several departments agencies and institutions, and recognize areas of potential obstacle or challenges and produce solutions or alternatives to achieve strategic priorities;
  • Ability to obtain information, opinions and recommendations from various sources to inform decisions, produce conclusions and to drive change.
  • Exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst team members and to drive employee engagement in all activities of the unit;
  • Ability to clearly articulate links between the Unit’s strategy and the ECOWAS Commission’s goals;
  • Ensures communication plans are developed and implemented so audiences are informed in a timely manner;
  • Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
  • Sound ability to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjust priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing tasks;
  • Foresees risks and adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing tasks;
  • Translates the strategic direction, including vision, mission and values into effective strategies; develops, leads and ensures meaningful communication of shared vision, values, mission and strategic direction to inspire and influence others; positions the organization to deal with emerging and long-term trends, issues and opportunities;
  • Establishes performance expectations and oversees the implementation and monitoring of performance management programs to ensure all employees meet performance expectations.
  Annual Salary
  UA75,489.30, USD119,107.02.
  
  Method of Application
  
  Use the email(s) below to apply.
  
  • Monitoring & Evaluation Officer - meofficer@ecowas.int
  • Communication Officer - P3 - pocomm@ecowas.int
  • Principal Programme Officer - Veterinary Governance - P5 - vetgovernbamako@ecowas.int
  • Director of External Relations - dirextrels@ecowas.int
  • Office Manager (Bilingual Secretaries) - bsofficemanager@ecowas.int
  • Officer, Community Decisions Monitoring and Coordination - P5 - cdecmonitoring@ecowas.int
  • Principal Program Officer, Information and Communication - P5 - ppoinfocomm@ecowas.int
  • Director, PPDU- D2 - ppdudirlome@ecowas.int
  Interested and qualified candidates should download the Application Form below, fill it out correctly; attach a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Motivation Letter
  
  Click here to download Application Form (Ms Word)
  
  Click here for more Information