The Ghana High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, H.E. Senalor K. Yawlui, PhD has donated three academic books on “The Evolving ECOWAS Normative Architecture and Contemporary lnternational Law” to the Horton Command and Staff College of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and regional cooperation among West African military institutions.
The symbolic presentation took place on Wednesday, 12th November 2025, at the Burma Hall, Wilberforce, in the presence of senior officers, directing staff, and students of the college.
In his welcome address, Lieutenant Colonel M. S. Amoah, Allied Directing Staff from Ghana, warmly received the High Commissioner, describing the donation as a reflection of the longstanding educational and defense partnership between Ghana and Sierra Leone. He commended Ambassador Senalor for his continued dedication to strengthening professional collaboration between the two nations’ armed forces.
Presenting the books, the Ghanaian High Commissioner underscored the central role of knowledge in public international law in modern military leadership, emphasizing that education remains a vital instrument for strategic thinking, peacebuilding, and regional integration. “This donation reflects Ghana’s continued commitment to knowledge sharing and academic advancement across African military institutions,” he said. “It is through education that we can cultivate leaders capable of addressing emerging security and governance challenges in our sub-region.”
Receiving the books on behalf of the Commandant, Colonel Browa Joshua Conteh (popularly known as Chailie Bravo), expressed profound gratitude to the Ghanaian diplomat. He described the donation as a valuable addition to the college’s growing library and a reinforcement of its mission to develop competent, ethical, and visionary military leaders.
Colonel Conteh further highlighted the College’s expanding regional role, noting that the current intake includes 47 students 37 Sierra Leoneans, one Ghanaian, and two Tanzanians a clear demonstration of its evolving status as a regional hub for professional military education and leadership training.
The event concluded with an interactive session and a group photograph featuring the High Commissioner, directing staff, and students a symbolic moment underscoring the enduring bonds of friendship and mutual respect between the armed forces of Sierra Leone and Ghana.
Insight Excepts of the Donated Book: “The Evolving ECOWAS Normative Architecture and Contemporary International Law “
During the presentation, His Excellency Ambassador Yawlui delivered a brief lecture on the Book,, providing insights into the second edition of his publication on “The Evolving ECOWAS Normative Architecture and Contemporary lnternational Law”.
The book offers a comprehensive analysis of the Peace and Security Architecture of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), tracing the organization’s transformation from a purely economic bloc under the 1975 ECOWAS Treaty to one grounded in democratic values and governance, human rights and the rule of law as well as the promotion of conflict prevention, management, resolution and peacebuilding under the 1993 Revised ECOWAS Treaty and relevant Protocols on the subject. The book also examines ECOWAS’ interventions and its intervention in the December 2016 post-electoral dispute in The Gambia. It assesses the level of compliance with the ECOWAS’ Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, while drawing parallel with the level of compliance with Community laws of the European Union as compared to the ECOWAS. The implications of the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger (Alliance of Sahel States) from ECOWAS on 29 January 2025 and its implications for regional and continental integration were also examined in the book.
Ambassador Yawlui explores how ECOWAS’ legitimacy as a regional peace and security actor depends on balancing legal principles with evolving global norms such as the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), in the wake of the growing primacy of the respect of human rights.
The book calls for renewed efforts to address the root causes of instability in West Africa, including poor governance, human rights violations, unemployment, and poverty. It emphasizes that sustainable peace requires: Strengthening inclusive and accountable governance; Investing in education, healthcare, and job creation; Enhancing regional cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism; and Redefining ECOWAS’s legal framework and integration model to reflect emerging security and political realities in the subregion.
The Ghanaian High Commissioner further recommends closer collaboration between ECOWAS and the AES States, to curb the potential spillover effects of terrorism into coastal West African countries, while urging regional leaders to confront the root causes of military takeovers and violent extremism. “The credibility of ECOWAS as a regional body must rest on its economic success and its commitment to delivering democratic dividends to the populace”, he noted.
By: Ahmed Yusuf Turay
(Email: turayahmedyusuf586@mail.com)
