West African bloc lifts sanctions on Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger

STORY: West African bloc lifts sanctions on Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 24, 2024 DATELINE: Feb. 26, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:01 LOCATION: Abuja CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of ECOWAS heads of state arriving for the summit 2. various of meetings 3. various of stakeholders present 4. SOUNDBITE (English): OMAR TOURAY, President of the ECOWAS Commission STORYLINE: The 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Saturday lifted drastic sanctions earlier placed on Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to pressure military juntas in those countries to return to constitutional order. Sanctions on three countries would be lifted immediately, Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission, said in a statement after an extraordinary summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja. Touray announced the immediate lifting of sanctions on three countries following an extraordinary summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government held Saturday in Abuja, Nigeria. SOUNDBITE (En

West African bloc activates regional standby force for possible intervention in Niger coup

STORY: West African bloc activates regional standby force for possible intervention in Niger coup DATELINE: Aug. 11, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:47 LOCATION: Abuja CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of ECOWAS leaders arriving at the summit 2. various of ECOWAS leaders and officials 3. various of meetings 4. SOUNDBITE (English): OMAR ALIEU TOURAY, President of ECOWAS commission STORYLINE: The 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Thursday said it has resolved to activate its standby force in response to the recent coup in Niger while underscoring its continued commitment to restore constitutional order in the country through peaceful means. In a statement of an extraordinary summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, the regional bloc reiterates its strong condemnation of the coup in Niger, saying it upholds all measures and principles agreed upon by the urgent ECOWAS summit on July 30. The ECOWAS leaders "direct the (ECOWAS) committee of the Chiefs of Defense Staff to activate i

West African bloc imposes sanctions on Niger military leaders after coup

STORY: West African bloc imposes sanctions on Niger military leaders after coup DATELINE: July 31, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:51 LOCATION: Abuja CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of ECOWAS heads of state arriving at the event 2. various of officials 3. various of the meeting 4. various of President of the ECOWAS Commission Omar Alieu Touray reading communique 5. various of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu delivering a speech STORYLINE: The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional group of 15 countries, agreed to impose sanctions on Niger's military leaders involved in a recent coup at an emergency meeting held in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Sunday. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, also chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS, denounced the coup, saying the regional bloc "rejects coup and interruption to constitutional order." "As African leaders, it is our responsibility to foster stability and progress," Tinubu said, noting that the ECOWAS advocates co

NIGERIA-ABUJA-ECOWAS HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

NIGERIA-ABUJA-ECOWAS HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

(221206) -- ABUJA, Dec. 6, 2022 (Xinhua) -- President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission Omar Alieu Touray speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony of the China-aided project of the ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, on Dec. 4, 2022. The China-aided construction of the permanent ECOWAS headquarters began on Sunday in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, to consolidate the regional bloc's operations in one complex -- a departure from operating at three different locations in Abuja. (Xinhua/Guo Jun)

China-aided ECOWAS headquarters begins construction

STORY: China-aided ECOWAS headquarters begins construction DATELINE: Dec. 5, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:59 LOCATION: Abuja CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the groundbreaking ceremony 2. various of officials 3. various of project description 4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): CUI JIANCHUN, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria 5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MUHAMMADU BUHARI, Nigerian President 6. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): OMAR ALIEU TOURAY, President of ECOWAS Commission STORYLINE: The China-aided project of the permanent headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States began construction on Sunday in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. The new headquarters building will enable the regional bloc to operate in one complex instead of three locations. Officials from the Chinese embassy in Nigeria, state leaders from Nigeria, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone, as well as president of the ECOWAS Commission attended the groundbreaking ceremony. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): CUI JIANCHUN, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria "To sponsor a

ROOTS

ROOTS

ROOTS O.J. SIMPSON as Kadi Touray ROOTS Date: 1977

Japan-Gambia talks in Tokyo

Japan-Gambia talks in Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) and Gambia Vice President Isatou Touray shake hands before their talks in Tokyo on Aug. 31, 2019. Touray was visiting Japan for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, known as TICAD, which concluded the previous day. (Pool photo) (Kyodo) ==Kyodo