Former ECOWAS president De Souza, dies at 65

The former president of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Marcel Alain De Souza has died at the age of 65, according to local media reports. The cause of death has been reported to be a heart attack and the place to be Paris.

De Souza who took the charge of ECOWAS as president on the 8th of April 2016, was a banker and Minister of Economic Development. He had also embarked on politics and had been a presidential candidate in 2016.

He Souza was born on 20th of October 1953 at Pobè in the Republic of Benin. He had a Master's Degree in Economics from the University of Dakar as well as a specialized Master's Degree in Management and Banking at the West African Training Centre for Banking Studies (COFEB) completing his training at the IMF Institute in Washington.

Mr. de Souza was formerly the Internal Controller at Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest- Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) head office in Cotonou. He rose to become national Director and Director of Administration at the bank headquarters in Dakar. Prior to his appointment as the President of the ECOWAS Commission, he had been a Member of Parliament of the Benin National Assembly since June 2015.