EU-ECOWAS Ends Regional Coordination Meeting In Abuja 

The European Union and ECOWAS team (EU-ECOWAS), has rounded off its regional coordination meeting thr at ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

The meeting which takes place monthly is held to provide opportunity for the stakeholders of the EU-ECOWAS to deliberate on issues that would assist the body to submount challenges troubling the West African sub-region.

Within the framework of monthly programme monitoring meetings, the ECOWAS Commission received the EU delegation at its premises in Abuja on August 23, 2022.

The objective of the bilateral meeting is to review key ongoing programmes as well as those identified under the new EU funding instrument.

Among the top personalities of the Union who attended the meeting was the Head of Cooperation of European Union in Nigeria, Ms Cécile Tassin-Pfizer accompanied by her collaborators, like the Deputy Head of Delegation and Head of Political Section, Head of Finance, Contracts and Audit, project managers, as well as ECOWAS staff.

Also in attendance was Director of External Relations (Session Chairman) and Directors in charge of Peacekeeping and Regional Security; Energy and Mines; Humanitarian and Social Affairs; Political Affairs; Finance/Financial Reporting and Donations, and Transport.

Top on the agenda of the meeting was the subject of intensive discussions, and those relating to the activities planned under the New Instrument for Cooperation of the European Union (NDICI), the Annual Action Plan (AAP) 2022 and 2023, Blue Economy, Stabilisation, Peace and Security, Climate Change, Human Development and Gender Issues.

During the exchanges, the two parties expressed current concerns related to democratic and security challenges, and indicated the need to continue the programmes already underway in those areas.

On the subject of Climate Change, the parties shared the same points of view relating to the strengthening of actions to the definition of joint action plans in order to face the various climate challenges in the West African sub-region.

The issue of human capital development captured the attention of the EU and ECOWAS, who agreed to finalise the action plan initiated in that area and which should help in the formulation of relevant projects to be initiated in the area.

Within the framework of Institutional Support to ECOWAS, the Directors present at the meeting indicated the need to maintain the Support Cell for the Regional Authorising Officer (RAO Support Cell) which provides essential and necessary assistance for the validation of the EU pillars by ECOWAS, hence the importance of finding the necessary support for the sustainability of its operation.