ECOWAS launches project on gender empowerment

Pledges to promote cultural exchange

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched its project supporting national early warning and response mechanisms on harnessing gender empowerment as a tool for human security.

The aim of the project is to establish operational linkages between the national mechanism and relevant structures and organisations in the gender/women’s empowerment ecosystem at the national and sub national levels, support the national mechanisms in advocacy and awareness raising as well as ensure complementarity with existing initiatives.

The project is within the framework of operationalising the National
Early Warning and Response Mechanisms, which the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, in 2014, took the decision to establish in all member states to bridge the gap between Early Warning and Early Response.

At the two-day event, dignitaries from different countries were well attended. The launch was also attended by the ECOWAS Resident Representative to
Ghana, Ambassador Baba Gana Wakil; the Executive Director of the West

Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) Mr. Emeka Eze; the Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), Mrs. Nana Afadzinu; the Regional Coordinator and the National Presidents of the Peace and Security Network for Women in the ECOWAS Region (REPSFECO) and the coordinator of the Mano River Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET).

Others were the representatives of KAIPTC and the African Women leadership Network; directors and analysts from the National Early Warning and Response Centres, as well as regional experts.

The ECOWAS delegation that accompanied the Vice President and the Commissioner for Human
Development and Social Affairs, was comprised of the Director of Early Warning, Dr. Gueye Abdou Lat and the Director of the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, Mrs. Sandra Oulate, and their respective teams.

To culminate her mission to Accra, the Vice President of the Commission paid a courtesy visit to the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In a related development, ECOWAS has pledged to promote cultural exchange and increase knowledge on the rich tradition of the West African people.

The Commission made this pledge at its 48th anniversary with cultural exposition. At the anniversary and cultural exposition, Resident Representative, Dr. Samuel Lamptey said the exposition would provide a unique platform for raising awareness about the many programmes and projects carried out by the ECOWAS Commission in Cabo Verde, while also fostering a greater approach and togetherness among the nations.

This year’s ECOWAS anniversary theme is “Towards shared prosperity,” which reflects the organisation’s goal of promoting cooperation and integration, aimed at establishing an economic union to raise the living standards of its peoples, maintain and enhance economic stability, foster relations among member states, and contribute to the African continent’s progress and development.

The office of the ECOWAS Resident Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission in Cabo Verde hosted the cultural fair in the city of Praia.The cultural fair, which was opened to the public, took place on May 27, 2023, in the centre of the nation’s capital, featuring a gastronomic demonstration, music and an exhibition of other cultural facets such as clothing, handicrafts and other artifacts, from the different member states of the great economic community.