From Terhemba Daka, Abuja
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), yesterday, said it allocated at least $14 million to counterterrorism efforts in frontline states and to shore up humanitarian efforts in the region.
This is just as the regional bloc said it was exploring other funding options for its $2.6 billion standby force.
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, who serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of the Heads of State and Government, revealed these as part of a one-year report highlighting the bloc’s achievements and challenges at the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU) in Accra, Ghana.
A statement by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, quoted the President saying, “ECOWAS has allocated $9 million to assist persons of concern, including refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers.
“The frontline Member States in the fight against terrorism have also been supported with $4 million under the ECOWAS Counter Terrorism Humanitarian Response.”
The President said ECOWAS has supported members to enhance electoral and governance processes and recently deployed Election Observation Missions to Senegal and Togo – both of which elections were adjudged to be peaceful, transparent, and fair.
He also highlighted the facilitation of the signing of an Agreement for National Unity in Sierra Leone, noting that the sub-regional body will continue to work with stakeholders in the country to implement the provisions of the Agreement.
On economic integration, President Tinubu said ECOWAS has implemented activities to consolidate the free trade area, customs union, and common market.
“We supported six Member States in ratifying the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, and thirteen Member States have ratified the AFCFTA agreement. The ECOWAS interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) is also operational in 12 Member States,” the President stated.
On other ECOWAS institutions, President Tinubu stated that the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament elected its first female President, Maimunatu Ibrahim from Togo, and that the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice reviewed 15 new cases, held 33 court sessions, and delivered 11 judgments.
However, the President noted that the bloc faces multiple threats, including Member States withdrawing, geopolitical rivalries, terrorism, food insecurity, climate change, and the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
He said ECOWAS will continue to dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to maintain unity and will convene a Special Extra-ordinary Summit on the future of the Community.
