ECOWAS announces allocation of $9 million for humanitarian aid

By Kunle Sanni

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced it has allocated $9 million to support refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers.

The disclosure was made on Sunday by the Chairman of the organization, President Bola Tinubu, during his address to African leaders on the status of ECOWAS at the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana.

In his address, President Tinubu emphasized ECOWAS’s commitment to enhancing electoral and governance processes, citing the deployment of Election Observation Missions to Senegal and Togo, which were deemed peaceful and fair.

African leaders representing their respective nations at the Summit

He also mentioned the facilitation of a National Unity Agreement in Sierra Leone and ongoing consultations to revise the 2001 Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

On economic integration, Tinubu reported significant strides, including the ratification of the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement by six member states and the AFCFTA agreement by thirteen. The ECOWAS interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) is operational in twelve member states, boosting trade efficiency.

In the humanitarian sector, President Tinubu announced the allocation of $9 million for persons of concern, including refugees and asylum seekers. He also highlighted the establishment of educational initiatives like the West African Network of National Academies of Sciences and the African Forum for Research and Innovation, aimed at equipping youth with practical skills.

ECOWAS Chairman, President Bola Tinubu speaking at the Summit

Regarding energy and agriculture, the ECOWAS Chairman revealed the organization is advancing electrification projects in The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, and Mali through the ECOWAS-Regional Electricity Access Project (ECOREAP) and the Regional Off Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP). Over 400 SMEs were trained, and a total of $3 million will be disbursed to finance solar off-grid SMEs.

In addition, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has operationalized the Regional Fund for Agriculture and Food (RFAF), aiming for rice self-sufficiency and improved animal health through record vaccinations in the Sahel.

The President also recognized the challenges ECOWAS faces, including geopolitical rivalries, terrorism, food insecurity, and climate change.

He affirmed that ECOWAS will continue to engage with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to maintain unity and will convene a Special Extraordinary Summit on the future of the Community.

On the margins of the AU meeting, President Tinubu held a bilateral meeting with President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, emphasizing Nigeria’s leadership role in West Africa and Africa at large.

The Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, established in 2017, serves as the main forum for the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to align their efforts and coordinate the continental integration agenda, replacing the June/July summits. This year’s meeting focused on the theme “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century.”

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