Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP
The Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has initiated a meeting of experts towards the establishment of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council for West Africa (ECOSOCC-WA)
Experts from various Ministries of Economy, Finance, Social Affairs and Culture as well as the private sector players in peace and security from ECOWAS Member States met between June 12 and 13 in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, as part of the process of setting up the Council.
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The meeting, which was aimed to examine and validate the relevant structures and processes proposed to make the council operational.
It is believed that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the private sector need this platform to be able to play a more active role in the realisation of ECOWAS Vision 2050 – ‘ECOWAS of the Peoples: Peace and Prosperity for All’.
The decision to speed up the establishment of ECOSOCC-WA was reached in 2021 during a joint implementation of “ECOWAS (Post) Vision 2020: Strengthening regional capacities for conflict prevention” project between ECOWAS and the United Nations (UNOWAS and UNDP New York).
Welcoming participants at the opening ceremony, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Benin, Ambassador Amadou Diongue, on behalf of Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, said the initiative marked a crucial step towards achieving a shared vision of an integrated and prosperous West Africa.
“The creation of (ECOSOCC-WA) has never been more urgent than at a time when our region is experiencing democratic and security setbacks. To remain in tune with the deep aspirations of the people of our community, ECOWAS must work to conquer new frontiers, reach out to the people and work to meet their basic needs,” he said.
Former President, ECOWAS Commission and the facilitator of the meeting, Toga Gayewea Mcintosh, gave a brief overview of the history of ECOSOCC-WA, whose creation was decided far back in 1993 when the revised ECOWAS treaty decided to set up the six key ECOWAS institutions, including the Commission, the Parliament and the Court of Justice.
The meeting was officially launched by Ambassador Musa Nuhu, Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to ECOWAS, who in his address, equally stressed the imperative of the Council, which he added, was designed to improve the participation of civil society in the decisions making in ECOWAS Member States.
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According to him, CSOs have become essential players in dealing with the growing instability in the region.
At the end of the two-day meeting, experts were expected to facilitate the adoption of a basic framework and structures for the effective operation of ECOSOCC-WA, including the drafting of a charter, statutes and other documents that will govern the work of the institution in line with the changes made at the regional consultative meetings; create a three-year work programme that will guide and consolidate the establishment process as well as draft indicative budget over three years that will enable the establishment of ECOSOCC-WA and the implementation of the work programme.
They were also expected to propose a better understanding of the comparative advantages and strategic importance of ECOSOCC-WA in addressing the current and potential political and socio-economic challenges confronting the region.
Also, they should be in a position to produce concrete documents with recommendations on the way forward. This is to be presented at the ministerial meeting comprising ministers in charge of the economy, social and cultural sectors of Member States for validation and submission for consideration and adoption at the statutory ECOWAS meetings.
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