During the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union held in Accra, Ghana.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, announced that the Economic Community of West African States has earmarked $13 million to aid security operations in frontline states battling insurgency and for supporting refugees within the region
President Tinubu announced that ECOWAS would be contributing $9 million to aid persons of concern such as refugees, IDPs, and asylum seekers. Furthermore, $4 million has been donated by the regional block to help in counter terrorism efforts by frontline member countries through the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Humanitarian Response.
In order to invest $2.6 billion towards raising the $2.6 billion Standby Force, President Tinubu announced that ECOWAS was considering other sources of annexure. It has therefore deployed Election Observation Missions to Senegal and Togo in order to enhance electoral and governance processes in member states. An Agreement for National Unity was signed in Sierra Leone with ECOWAS spearheading the process for its implantation in partnership with the stakeholders.
The President informed the audience that ECOWAS had undertaken efforts aimed at consolidating the Free trade area, customs union, and common market. Additionally, six of its member nations received assistance when they ratified the WTO’s fisheries subsidies agreement while the AFCFTA agreement also got ratification by 13 member states.
The Economic Community of West African States has established the West African Network of National Academies of Sciences and the African Forum for Research and Innovation in education.
Moreover; among other objectives, in an endeavor to provide the young ones with practical skills and harmonize systems of education, this regional community has put in place a program geared towards promoting regional academic mobility.
In concluding his speech, President Tinubu was keen to inform everybody the fact that ECOWAS will always work together with each AU regional community and mechanism aimed at making our continent one.
The AU and Regional Economic Communities use The Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting to harmonize their activities and organize the implementation of the agenda for continental integration.
