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Tag: ECOWAS

  • Buhari approves ECOWAS’ request to transport, distribute COVID-19 medical supplies within sub-region

    Buhari approves ECOWAS’ request to transport, distribute COVID-19 medical supplies within sub-region

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the request of ECOWAS for the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) to transport and distribute COVID-19 medical supplies from Abuja regional hub to other ECOWAS Member States.

    The Directorate of Communications, ECOWAS Commission, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    According to the statement, President Buhari gave the approval following an appeal from the ECOWAS Commission’s President, Jean-Claude Brou, to grant WAHO’s request for logistic support regarding air freight of critical COVID-19 medical supplies.

    It stated that Brou made the appeal during a virtual meeting with President Buhari, as he briefed him of the Commission’s activities since the last Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in April.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari was appointed by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments, to champion the battle against COVID-19 pandemic in the sub-region.

    “The purpose of the meeting was to brief the champion on what has been done since the last Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments, which held on April 23, 2020.

    “And the next steps to be taken before the next 57th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments later in the year.

    “President Brou highlighted the activities of the three Ministerial Coordinating Committees on Health, Finance and Transport, Logistics and Trade.

    “He informed the champion that the individual reports of the three Committees would be consolidated into one report, which would be passed to the champion for his consideration.

    “And possible use as a working document for his Excellency’s report to the next ECOWAS Summit, scheduled to hold in July 2020.

    “In addition, Brou implored President Buhari to continue to serve as Advocate for ECOWAS on the continental and international levels, on the fight against COVID-19.

    “Also, the champion should promote massive awareness campaigns involving all stakeholders, on the increase of COVID-19 in the ECOWAS region.

    “Cumulatively, 45,161 confirmed cases and sadly 878 deaths as at Wednesday, June 10, 2020”, it stated.

  • ECOWAS appoints Buhari as champion of Covid-19 response

    ECOWAS appoints Buhari as champion of Covid-19 response

    President Muhammadu Buhari has been appointed the ‘Champion of the COVID-19 response’ by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government.

    The appointment took place Thursday at the Extraordinary ECOWAS Summit on COVID-19 which was held via teleconferencing under the Chairmanship of His Excellency, Mahamadou Issoufou, President of the Republic of Niger.

    During the teleconference, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, President Buhari called on fellow ECOWAS leaders to look beyond the challenges posed by the COVID -19 pandemic and tap into various opportunities that it presents for the betterment of lives in Member States:

    “In every challenging situation such as the current one, there are also opportunities. Our region must therefore seek to find those opportunities provided by this gloomy global outlook for its benefit by embarking on the implementation of such critical policies, which before now, will be difficult to accept”, he said.

    While calling on his colleagues to intensify collaboration in order to save the region from “this deadly pandemic through sharing our experiences and best practices,” President Buhari outlined some measures taken by his government in response to the pandemic. These include:

    a. The reduction of interest rates on all applicable Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) interventions from 9 to 5 percent and introduction of a one- year moratorium on CBN intervention facilities;

    b. The inauguration of Presidential Task Force to coordinate national efforts to combat the spread of the virus and ensure efficiency and effectiveness in line with the Nigerian Action Plan on Health Security;

    c. The provision of relief materials including medical and food supplies as well as conditional cash transfers of N20, 000 each for poor and vulnerable households and ;

    d. The establishment of more isolation centers and testing facilities to contain the spread of the virus.

    The Nigerian leader also said that unprecedented economic uncertainties, including severe fiscal and foreign exchange constraints, amid a slowdown in global economic growth that most nations are grappling with, have made it imperative for “our sub-region to refocus on accelerating the implementation of our popular vision of ‘ECOWAS of the people’ by adopting dynamic regional policies aimed at providing relief to our citizens.”

    “Despite declining revenues, government continues to spend massively on the containment of the virus, medical care for those infected and minimizing impact of the crisis on the poor and vulnerable. This situation puts severe pressure on our finances by increasing our expenditures amid dwindling revenues. This invariably has led to a restructuring and reduction of our budget,” he added.

    President Buhari used the occasion to rally other leaders to embrace agriculture, technology and innovation in order to emerge stronger.

    “It is imperative that while addressing short term challenges, we should also explore opportunities to promote strong and dynamic agricultural policies that will guarantee food security for our people, creating jobs and reducing poverty in the region. We must innovate and use technology to boost the digital economy and do things differently, but better,” he said.

    The Nigerian President affirmed Nigeria’s solidarity with other member states as they battle the virus:

    “At a time of global uncertainty such as this, caused by the devastating impact of the COVID-19, let me convey Nigeria’s solidarity with all the Member States as we collectively battle to defeat the pandemic. I am greatly saddened by loss of numerous lives and extend my heartfelt condolences to families of those who have lost loved ones throughout the region. I also wish infected victims speedy and full recovery.”

    He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to the well-being and safety of the people in the sub-region and restated support for any initiatives that would curb the spread of the pandemic arising from the Summit.

  • Buhari applauds ECOWAS resolve against terrorists

    Buhari applauds ECOWAS resolve against terrorists

    President Muhammadu Buhari Saturday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, commended the renewed vigour by ECOWAS member countries to mobilize their own resources to combat terrorism.

    The President spoke at the High Level meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on the State of Peace and Security in Africa at the 33rd AU Summit.

    President Buhari called for new strategies by the Union to effectively prevent, manage and resolve conflicts in the face of new circumstances and emerging challenges.

    The President also announced that Nigeria has fulfilled its financial obligations to the AU Peace Fund up to 2019, pledging to continue investing on peace and security on the continent.

    On ECOWAS matters, President Buhari declared that Nigeria is proud to continue to serve as a strong contributor to the peace roles played by the regional bloc.

    ”In Burkina Faso, we (ECOWAS) pledged to mobilize one billion US dollars to address the challenges of insecurity in our region and the Sahel. In Guinea Bissau, ECOWAS successfully midwifed the general elections.

    ”Nigeria along with ECOWAS member states led in the restoration of democracy and peace in the Gambia,” he said, while welcoming the collaborative leadership of the AU with other Regional Economic Communities in resolving conflicts on the continent.

    On security challenges in Africa, the Nigerian Leader said it was regrettable that terrorism, violent extremism and other forms of vicious conflicts had continued to cause mayhem and untold crisis on the continent.

    ”Nigeria condemns, in the strongest terms, the perpetrators of terrorism in Libya, the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, and parts of the Horn of Africa.

    ”We reiterate that efforts must continue to be pooled to mitigate this dreadful violence and secure the future of our continent,” he said.

    On new strategies to resolve conflicts on the continent, the President said: ”The AU must strengthen its own capacity for mediation and develop an effective intervention roadmap.”

    He added that more emphasis should be placed on promoting national dialogue, reconciliation and social cohesion in order to rally all actors towards sustainable peace.

    On the Peace Fund, the President reminded the meeting that drawing from the Kigali and Johannesburg Assembly Decisions, the fund is structured for the internal peace support arrangements within the continent and not as resources to subsidize the mandate of the UN Security Council.

    ”In this regard, my delegation will always fervently contest attempts to make Africa subsidize the primary responsibility of the UN as clearly provided in it Charter,” he said.

    President Buhari also welcomed the decision of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) to adopt the regional stabilization strategy for the Lake Chad Basin and the renewal of mandates of the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the G5 Sahel Joint Force.

    He told the meeting that Nigeria was very encouraged by the resolution of the continent’s standing decision-making body for conflict prevention, management and resolution, on the Lake Chad Basin.

    ”We are hopeful that the Inter Water Basin Transfer Initiative for the recharging of the Lake Chad will address some of the drivers of terrorism, particularly the impact of climate change and inter-communal clashes over access to natural resources.

    ”We equally call on the Assembly to direct the full implementation of these AU-inspired initiatives,” he said.

  • AfDB Presidency: ECOWAS endorses Adesina for second term

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has endorsed the candidacy of African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina for a second term at the helm of the institution.

    The decision was announced at the end of the fifty-sixth ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, held on Saturday in Abuja, Nigeria.

    “In recognition of the sterling performance of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina during his first term of office as President of the African Development Bank, the Authority endorses his candidacy for a second term as the President of the bank,” ECOWAS said in a communique issued after the meeting.

    Adesina is the eighth elected President of the African Development Bank Group. He was elected to the five-year term on 28 May 2015 by the Bank’s Board of Governors at its Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where the same electoral process will play out next year.

    Adesina is a renowned development economist and the first Nigerian to serve as President of the Bank Group. He has served in several high-profile positions internationally, including with the Rockefeller Foundation, and was Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2011 to 2015, a career stint that was widely praised for his reforms in the agricultural sector.

    The former minister brought the same drive to the Bank, making agriculture one of the organization’s priority areas.

    Speaking earlier at the opening ceremony, Adesina reminded the group of the African Development Bank’s investments in the region.

    “You can always count on the African Development Bank – your Bank,” Adesina told delegates.

  • ECOWAS leaders set to meet on implementation of single currency

    Presidents of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are to meet on December 21 in Abuja to consider recommendations on the proposed single currency regime for the sub-regiom

    Nigeria Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja at the end of the meeting of Ministerial Committee of Ministers of Finances and Governors of Cenral Banks of ECOWAS on single currency

    Ahmed who is the Chairperson of the committee told newsmen that the report and recommendations from the two-day meeting would be submitted to presidents of member states for consideration.

    “We have ended the meeting, the report is ready for submission to our presidents who will be meeting in Abuja here on December 21.

    “In their meeting, the presidents will consider recommendations of this meeting and the decision they will be taken will be reported to our countries,” she said.

    The finance minister had hinted that only Republic of Togo out of other ECOWAS countries met the primary requirements or criteria for achieving the target.

    According to her, with only one country meeting the criteria, it would be a tall order to beat the 2020 takeoff deadline for the single currency regime.

    Ahmed, however reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the establishment of ECOWAS Central Bank.

    ECOWAS leaders agreed on a single currency for the sub-region 30 years back, to boost cross-border trade and economic development.

    They had formally agreed to name the common currency “Eco”.

    The member states of ECOWAS are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo

  • FCT set for maiden ECOWAS-Abuja Int’l Marathon

    FCT set for maiden ECOWAS-Abuja Int’l Marathon

    No fewer than 500 international and local athletes will participate in the maiden ECOWAS-Abuja International Half Marathon scheduled to hold on Dec. 14.

    Mr Francis Njoaguani, Director, ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre, while addressing newsmen in Abuja on preparations, said the event is open to athletes outside West Africa.

    Njoaguani said the race with the theme “Run for Unity and Integration” is being organised in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and would see athletes win cash prizes ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.

    According to him, adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure a hitch free race expected to cover about 22km.

    “As ECOWAS, we don’t believe that Abuja has a problem with security; we are convinced that the Federal Government is equal to the task.

    “The Minister of FCT is part of the process and we believe that they will put in place all the necessary mechanisms to ensure safety of all the athletes.

    “The proof that we have today is that International athletes have already registered because as at now, we have four athletes from Ethiopia and Kenya who have indicated interest to be part of the process.

    “We have also got confirmation from some Cameroonian athletes that they will be part of the event and all these are evidences that Abuja is a good enough place for the race.

    “There is no difference in security situation in Nigeria compared to any other part of the world; every day we hear incidence of attack but that doesn’t stop life from going on.

    “So, security agents and authority in Nigeria are fully capable of ensuring not just the safety of athletes but all other people that will come out to cheer athletes to the finishing line,” Njoaguani.

    On her part, Director of Sports, FCTA, Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma said although the competition would involve participants outside the shores of ECOWAS member States, the sole purpose is to foster unity among members of the sub African region.

    “This event is going to involve international athletes; athletes from ECOWAS countries and four athletes from East Africa.

    “We also have a theme; ECOWAS is for integration and Abuja is for unity, so we came up with a theme, Run for Unity and Integration and it is important we make people realise this,” she said

  • ECOWAS Court orders probe of Benue mass killings

    ECOWAS Court orders probe of Benue mass killings

    The Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered the Federal Republic of Nigeria to investigate the January 2018 mass killings and destruction of property in some communities in five local government areas in Benue State.

    The court, in a judgment on Thursday, also ordered the Nigerian government to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.

    The judgment, according to the court’s spokesperson, Elohor Ovadje, was in a case brought by the estates of seven persons allegedly killed by some Fulani herdsmen in the incident.

    The court held the Nigerian government in “violation of its obligation to protect against known and imminent threat to life in the affected communities from the activities of Fulani herdsmen and in breach of its obligation to investigate the human rights violations that occurred.”

    A three member panel of the court, in the judgment, also ordered the government to ‘redress the victims’ and ‘provide preventive security arrangements to counter any future insurgence in the affected communities in the Adai, Tse Agur, Mbaguene, Guma local government areas of the state.

    The judges of the panel are: Justices Edward Amoako Asante (who presided), Keikura Bangura, and Januaria T. S. Moreira Costa.

    The court however rejected a request by the plaintiffs for an order compelling the government to pay N200 million to each of them as general damages for the untimely loss of their beloved ones in the incident because the ‘plaintiffs failed to prove their case as to the cause of death of their deceased relatives and establish the nexus between their death and the clashes that occurred in their communities.’

    It also rejected the request of the plaintiffs for an order for the government to pay each of them the sum of N1 billion as aggravated and punitive damages as a result of the failure of the Defendant to checkmate the illegal and oppressive act of the fiery Fulani herdsmen in some communities in Benue State,’ as they failed to prove their claims as to the violation of their right to property.

    In the suit marked: ECW/CCJ/APP/16/18, the estates of Mbakpenu Zamber, Nyiev Bohemen, Simon Anyom, Yahuan Bohemen, Atorjime Timbee Timothy, Musega Simon Mtagher and Pius Udughyla, it was alleged the violation of their fundamental human rights and those of their late relatives, particularly the rights to life, dignity, peace, security and equality before the law.

    Also violated, according to the initiating application, were their rights to privacy, property, freedom and protection from inhuman and degrading treatment from domination by a group of people and from all forms of discrimination.

  • ECOWAS parliament calls for reversal of Nigeria’s borders closure

    The recent closure of the Nigerian borders with West African neighbours might hamper the implementation of the free trade movement within the sub-region of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), officials said.

    Moustapha Lo, the regional bloc’s parliament speaker, said this while addressing parliamentarians at the ongoing 2nd Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Monrovia.

    Whilst seeking a reversal of the decision by the Nigerian government, Lo said in a statement on Tuesday.

    Lo said that this border closure would continue to pose a threat to the implementation of the protocol on the free movement of persons within the region.

    The parliament speaker noted that this development came at a time when Africa was working to intensify efforts for the effective abolition of barriers within the member-states.

    Nigerian authorities had closed the borders with Benin about a month ago and Niger more recently, as a measure toward tacking the challenge of smuggling.

    The ECOWAS parliament said this is a hindrance to the achievement of the regional bloc’s main objective, which includes “achieving the creation of a prosperous, borderless West African region where peace and harmony prevail”.

    “The ECOWAS Parliament calls for compliance with Community provisions and thus calls for the reopening of borders and a coordinated fight against smuggling in the region,” the statement said.

    “The root causes of this recurrent situation must be studied with a view to finding a permanent solution.”

    It further urged the Nigerian government to find a permanent solution to the challenge of smuggling, rather than closing the borders, which, the ECOWAS parliament said, was not a lasting solution.

  • ECOWAS adopts name for single currency in West Africa

    ECOWAS adopts name for single currency in West Africa

    The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on Saturday adopted ECO as the name of the single currency to be issued in January 2020.

    The leaders at their 55th Ordinary Session in Abuja endorsed the name while congratulating the Ministerial Committee on the Single Currency for the considerable progress recorded in the implementation of the revised roadmap.

    In the communiqué read by Mr Mustapha Suleiman, Nigeria’s Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Authority instructed the ECOWAS Commission to work in collaboration with West African Monetary Agency.

    The leaders also instructed the commission to work with West African Monetary Institute and the central banks to accelerate the implementation of the revised roadmap with regard to the symbol of the single currency.

    The Authority also directed the commission and the central banks to accelerate the operation of the Special Fund for financing of programmes in the revised Roadmap for the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme.

    “It further directs the commission to ensure implementation of the recommendations of the meeting of the ministerial committee held in Abidjan on June 17 and June 18 as well as preparation and implementation of the Communication Strategy for the single currency programme.

    “The Authority takes note of the 2018 macroeconomic convergence report. It noted the worsening of the macroeconomic convergence and urges member states to do more to improve on their performance in view of the imminent deadline.”

    Furthermore, the ECOWAS Chairman President Issoufou Mahamadou said the revised roadmap still stipulated that the single currency would be issued in Jan. 2020.

    “We have not changed that but we will continue with assessment between now and then.

    “We are of the view that countries that are ready will launch the single currency and countries that are not yet ready looking for the best roof repair in san diego will join the programme as they comply with all six convergence criteria.”

    He also said that there was “a real firm political will” for the region to hastily achieve the single currency.

  • For The Records: Buhari’s remarks at 55th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS

    STATEMENT BY H.E. MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, CHAIRMAN OF THE ECOWAS AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT

    AT THE 55TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ECOWAS AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT

    ABUJA, NIGERIA

    29TH JUNE 2019

    Protocols:

    1. It is with great pleasure that I warmly welcome you to Abuja on behalf of the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the occasion of the 55th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    2. To my colleagues, let me again reiterate my deep appreciation for the confidence placed on me to lead our sub-regional organization, as Chair of the Authority during the last one year. I sincerely thank you for the valuable support extended to me throughout the period.

    Excellencies Heads of State and Government,

    Distinguished Guests,

    3. As West African leaders, we are delighted with the platform provided by our organization to hold regular consultations. We also note with satisfaction the effective functioning of our Institutions which further bind us together as member states.

    4. The fact that we have reconvened here today, to discuss developments in our sub-region, bears testimony to our sustained commitment to the consolidation of our integration as a Community. I acknowledge and commend the giant strides made by ECOWAS in this regard.

    5. I also commend our individual and collective efforts towards the promotion of good governance, peace, stability and socio-economic development in our sub-region. We must remain focused on our collective endeavour to make the sub-region an area of peace and security.

    6. This is an essential prerequisite if we are to attain the primary objective of our organization which is, to “promote cooperation and integration, leading to the establishment of an economic and monetary union in West Africa, in order to raise the living standards of its people and contribute to the progress and development of the African continent”.

    Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,

    7. Despite the overall appreciable progress we have made, particularly in the field of political governance, our sub-region continues to face considerable security challenges. We are all witnesses to the recurring incidents of inter-communal clashes, herders-farmers conflicts, banditry and terrorist attacks in all our countries.

    8. These threats, you will agree with me, have consequences on the peaceful co-existence between our communities and peoples as well as their livelihoods.

    9. This unrest also undermines all our efforts in achieving full regional integration. It is, therefore, necessary that we act collectively to end this menace in the interest of regional stability and wellbeing of our people.

    10. Let me offer, on behalf of all of us, our sincere sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims of terrorist attacks, banditry and inter-communal clashes perpetrated by some misguided elements in our societies. We shall not relent in our efforts to protect our peace-loving people and their properties, while vigorously sustaining the war against terrorism and criminality.

    Excellencies Heads of State and Government,

    11. Taking into account the transnational nature of the threats confronting us, the need for the adoption of a common strategy at the national and regional level to combat them has become imperative. By so doing, we will reinforce our actions and resources for a more effective response to protect our citizens and secure our common space.

    12. While I acknowledge that several initiatives and measures have been taken in our respective countries recent developments have shown that we must cooperate more effectively to achieve our goals.

    13. We should send a strong and unified message to the perpetrators of violence that we are resolute in our collective determination to confront and defeat them.

    14. I would like to renew our gratitude to all our colleagues who have skilfully conducted the political mediation missions we entrusted to them.

    Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,

    15. As we strive to create a secure, stable and prosperous environment in West Africa, we must also intensify our efforts to ensure sustainable economic and social development in our sub-region. By doing so, we will be able to tackle poverty and youth unemployment and contribute to our sustained stability.

    16. Several issues relating to different policies, programmes and projects are itemized for discussion during today’s meeting.

    17. As is our custom, the 55th ordinary session will also consider these matters from the reports on today’s agenda.

    18. Considering the high level of interest you all attach to regional cooperation and integration, I am confident that our Summit will witness robust discussions and produce sound decisions.

    19. Let me at this point, take this opportunity to renew, once again, our sincere appreciation to the African Union, the United Nations and all our bilateral and multilateral partners for their sustained cooperation and assistance. We value their partnership.

    20. I will conclude my remarks by wishing us fruitful deliberations. I hereby declare open the 55th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

    I thank you for your attention.