The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, has commended the leadership of ECOWAS and France for the success recorded in the war against terror in Mali.

Ekweremadu made the commendation in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening of the first 2013 extraordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament on the political crises in Mali and Guinea Bissau.

Ekweremadu's commendation is contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu

He said, "Terrorism anywhere is terrorism everywhere, and a threat to peace anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere.

"I, therefore, wish to commend the government of France and the ECOWAS institution for doing the needful and for showing leadership and courage when it mattered most," he said.

Ekweremadu who is also the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, said the story of Mali and Guinea Bissau was a test case for the survival of peace, democracy and integration in the sub-region.

"The community parliament will not spare any legitimate steps to reinforce the quest for lasting peace, security, democracy and good governance in Mali and Guinea Bissau.

"We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that no part of this sub-region is surrendered to nefarious and anti-democracy interests in whatever guise they may come," he said.

The plenary also witnessed the swearing in of the maiden delegation of the Cote d'Ivoire to the parliament.

The speaker expressed happiness that the vacuum created by the absence of Cote d'Ivoire in the sub-regional parliament over the years due to political crisis had been successfully filled.

Ekweremadu, therefore, enjoined members of the Ivorian Delegation to immediately go to work and contribute their quota to the integration, democratisation, and development process in the sub-region.

Meanwhile, the ECOWAS Parliament has elected two new deputy speakers.

They are Hon. Kaboure Alexis of Burkina Faso, who replaced Hon. Sere Sereme Saran of the same country as the Second Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Simon Osei Mensah of Ghana replaced his compatriot, Hon. Michael Nyaumu as the fourth Deputy Speaker.

The first 2013 extraordinary session will consider and adopt the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Political Crises in Mali and Guinea Bissau.