The mid-year statutory meetings of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have kicked off in Abuja, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, ahead of ECOWAS’ Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government slated for this weekend.
On Tuesday, June 25, 2019, the 82nd Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of ECOWAS opened at the headquarters of the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja. According to a release from the Liberian Embassy in Abuja, Liberia’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Abraham K. Korvah, Sr., and the Deputy Finance Minister for Fiscal Affairs, Hon. Samora P. Z. Wolokollie were accompanied to the meeting by Ambassador Al-Hassan Conteh.
The Council considered several key issues that climax the Wednesday, June 26, 2019, session, the release said.
Among the key issues to be considered during the Council of Ministers’ meeting include the memoranda on the hosting of the Headquarters of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor, the award of the 2018 ECOWAS Prize of Excellence, the ECOWAS Human Capital Development Strategy and High-Level dialogue on human capital development in West Africa, among others.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, in his opening statement highlighted the vision of the Founding Fathers of ECOWAS who saw the need to tackle the challenges facing their countries jointly, the release adds.
“The Heads of State and Government recognised the need to jointly tackle the challenges facing their countries and pool resources, while respecting their diversity, in order to achieve stability in the region, ensure rapid growth and optimised production, and raise the living standards of the people” he said.
President Brou added that they must all remember the course set by the Founding Fathers and continuously embrace it as a compass that will steer their actions and evaluate the progress made.
Earlier, the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) of ECOWAS held its 42nd session on Monday, June 24, 2019 in Abuja, Nigeria, the release adds.
The MSC, made up of ECOWAS Member States’ Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, deliberated on ways to improve the security situation of the region.
Acting Foreign Minister Hon. Abraham K. Korvah, Sr and Deputy Defense Minister of Administration, Hon. Tibli O. Dickson represented Liberia along with Ambassador Al-Hassan Conteh.
Addressing the MSC at the opening of the session, the President of the ECOWAS Commission Jean-Claude Kassi Brou stated that the greatest challenge facing the region today and thus holding back economic, social and human advancement, is the issue of regional security.
“Almost every month, our region is hit by terrorist attacks which plunge our populations into mourning. The problem has become more complex with ruthless inter-communal clashes that pose a threat to the social cohesion of our countries”, he said.
President Brou called on Member States to implement the Lomé Declaration on Peace, Security, Stability and the Fight against Terrorism and Violent Extremism which was adopted during the joint ECOWAS-Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) summit in July 2018. He stressed the need for ECOWAS to consider other patterns of relationships and strengthen cooperation with geopolitical blocs with which it shares the same vulnerabilities given the transnational nature of security threats and the porosity borders in the region.
On the political front, President Brou highlighted the ECOWAS Commission’s continuous efforts to support Member States in the conduct of inclusive, transparent and credible elections.
The President presented to the Council Memorandums on the Political and Security situation in the region which included the status of the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB) and the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMOG) as well as one on the issuance of ECOWAS Exemption Certificate by the President of the Commission in case of “extreme” emergency, the release concludes.
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