The President of ECOWAS Commission, His. Exc. Mr. Kadré Desiré Ouédraogo and the Ambassador of European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, His Exc. Michel Arrion signed Thursday, Dec. 2013 , a financing agreement for four projects totaling over € 72 million.
The first project of nearly € 9 million is related to the institutional reforms undertaken by the ECOWAS Commission, including financial management and capacity building. This project will strengthen the capacity of the Commission in auditing, accounting, internal control and procurement. The Project will help to reach efficient management European Development Fund (EDF) resource and better coordinate interventions with the WAEMU Commission.
The second project of € 20 million is a support for the Africa Regional Technical Assistance Centers, better known as “AFRITAC”. This project, managed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), aims to strengthen the institutional capacity of African countries and regional organizations to develop sound macroeconomic and financial policies to achieve poverty reduction
The third project of € 27 million is a support to ECOWAS mandate to advance peace and security as laid out in the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework adopted by the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council in 2008. The Project will contribute to the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture and Regional Mechanism for Conflict Prevention Management and Resolution.
The fourth and final project focuses on a support of nearly € 17 million to tackle ECOWAS fight against drug trafficking and drug abuse in West Africa. West Africa is facing a huge challenge linked to organized crime, production, trafficking and consumption of drugs. The project aims to strengthen the regional capacity to monitor, advocate, coordinate and harmonize drug policies in West Africa and support the implementation of the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan to contribute to a more effective coordinated regional response to drugs and crime issues.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission welcomed to EU Ambassador who presented his credentials few hours earlier. During the signing ceremony, President Ouédraogo has stressed the excellent cooperation between EU and ECOWAS. “The Projects are now on track”, he said. President Ouédraogo emphasized that “the EU support, will help strengthen ECOWAS’s capacity to work with its Member States, the governments of West Africa, to tackle together the major challenges of improving economic governance to stimulate economic growth and investment and to reinforce the rule of law to consolidate peace and security and fight against crime”
In response the EU Ambassador thanked the Chairman of ECOWAS for the excellent cooperation relations binding the two institutions. He then felt that it was important that the ECOWAS Commission can manage these funds, rather than other structures before revealing that two other financing agreements are available at the EU Delegation. Closing his speech, the Ambassador has placed particular emphasis on the process of programming the 11th EDF, the importance of trade in regional development and finally the outcome of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).