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National experts examine ECOWAS model mining and minerals development act

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Commissioner Sediko Douka, (R) right, and the Chair of the National Experts, Mustapha Bature Aminu, (Nigeria)

August 14th 2018. National mining experts are examining the draft Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) model mining and minerals development Act of with a view of validating its texts.

To this end, a three-Day Workshop began in Abuja, Nigeria on the 14th of August 2018 to create a harmonious and regulated environment for the overall sustainability of the mining sector in the region, among others.

In his opening statement, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Energy and Mines Mr. Sediko Douka noted that the Workshop “initiates the formal statutory process for the adoption of a Community Act on mining and mineral development”.

He charged the experts to carefully consider amendments both in substance and form to the entire draft mining document as presented and build consensus on the articles contained in the texts.

Commissioner Douka stressed that in the exertions of the delegates, the fundamental question to be answered bordered on whether the draft ECOWAS Model Mining and Minerals Development Act (EMMMDA) and its implementation strategy in substance, sufficiently captures the present aspiration towards developing the region’s mineral sector.

He said it is in line with the ECOWAS revised treaty spelling out the establishment of an inclusive regional strategy for the geo-extractive sector, that the ECOWAS Commission foresees the creation of an “inclusive and functional geo-extractive sector architecture which is well structured and untimely integrated for global competitiveness”.

In the desire to have a harmonised regulatory environment in the medium term, the Commissioner spelt out the tasks on hand to include the development of a geo-extractive database and statistical information framework to guide the reporting of progress along the value chain of the sector as well as the establishment of a regional geo-extractive observatory and cadastre system as a one-stop repository of information on activities in the sector.

Similarly, he said the efforts of the experts should be on how to sustain the ECOWAS Mining and Petroleum Forum (ECOMOF) for the sector’s inclusive development dialogue while formulating a trans-boundary geo-extractive development framework in the same breathe.

Group Photograph front row_ Commissioner Sediko Douka, (4th from right), flanked by Mme. Fati Soga, Niger_ the Chair, Mustapha Bature Aminu, Nigeria and other delegates

Earlier in his welcome address, the national expert from Nigeria who chaired the session Mr. Aminu Bature Mustapha described the EMMMDA as a beautiful document that has the potentials of moving the geo-extractive sector in the ECOWASA region to the next level.

The Workshop is featuring working sessions as well as presentations on and review of the draft EMMMDA.

Already adopted is an ECOWAS Mineral Development Policy and its implementation which outlines some major activities to be undertaken by the Commission and Member States in order to develop the mineral sector in the region.

The outcome of the experts’ Workshop stemming from the review of the EMMMDA, will be forwarded with recommendations to the sector ministers for their consideration.


ECOWAS moves to develop regional strategies for AGOA, TIFA

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Participants during the Technical Working Group meeting

Abuja, 16th August 2018. A Technical Working Group (TWG) comprising of focal points from Directorates of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recommended that regional and national strategies be developed in order to optimize the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) with the aim of boosting the economy of the region through trade.

In his remarks during the TWG meeting on 16th August 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria, the representative of the ECOWAS Commissions’ Directorate of Trade, Mr. Kola Sofola stated that the TWG has been convened in order to deliberate on strategies to improve trade, investment and economic cooperation between ECOWAS and the United States of America (U.S.A).

Mr. Sofola highlighted the need for ECOWAS to take into consideration ways of implementing the AGOA and the ECOWAS-U.S Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

‘The AGOA is a non-reciprocal trade preference program that grants eligible sub-Sahara African Countries duty-free, quota-free (DFQF) access to the United States while the TIFA is a platform for dialogue on initiatives for expanding trade and investment opportunities between ECOWAS and the U.S’, he said.

Mr. Sofola briefed the TWG on the status of the AGOA and the TIFA. He stated that following the 17th AGOA Ministerial forum which held in Washington D.C in July 2018, ECOWAS resolved to strengthen its cooperation with private sector associations in the region and deepen the dialogue of the future of African Trade.

He described the dialogue of the future of African trade as important since the AGOA which was initially authorized in 2000 to promote export-led growth and development in Africa will end in September 2025.

Regarding the TIFA, Mr. Sofola explained that the U.S has five Trade and Investment Framework Agreements with African regional economic organizations and eight bi-lateral TIFA partners in sub-Sahara Africa which include three ECOWAS Member States, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria.

‘The ECOWAS-U.S TIFA which was signed in Washington D.C in August 2014 serves as a forum for the United States and ECOWAS to meet and discuss issues of mutual interest with the objective of improving cooperation and enhancing opportunities for trade and investment in the region’, he added.

The Technical Working Group in subsequent meetings will adopt its Terms of Reference which will enable it develop and implement strategies for ECOWAS to improve its economy by increasing trade and investment in West Africa.

ECOWAS AND UNHCR COLLABORATE TO BUILD HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE CAPACITY IN WEST AFRICA

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are collaborating to scale up the level of response to humanitarian and emergency situations in the region.

To this end, a five-Day Emergency Management Training (EMT) Commenced at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, (MLAILPKC), Jaji, Kaduna state, Nigeria on the 27th of August 2018, to build the capacity of Member States and officials charged with the provision of response to humanitarian crisis.

As structured, the EMT is meant to equip trainees with multiple skills to prepare for, manage and respond to diverse humanitarian emergencies including the use of simulations around real emergency situations.

Addressing the participants and facilitators at the commencement of the training, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender Dr. Siga Fatima Jagne commended the UNHCR for its excellent partnership with ECOWAS seeing that the combined effects of conflicts and natural disasters “has and continues to have economic impact on the population of the region”.

She clarified that the idea of establishing the ECOWAS Emergency Response Team (EERT) is not meant to replace or duplicate the efforts of the United Nations (UN) and other partners but to complement such while “enhancing a coordinated humanitarian action in the region”

Being an exercise to build and improve the capacity of trainees to prepare for, manage and respond to emergencies in the region, the Commissioner urged participants to be conscious of the seriousness attached to it as the region requires “affective and efficient management of humanitarian emergencies to save the lives and restore dignity to our population”.

“You are encouraged to learn new approaches during this training as you may be called upon for ECOWAS humanitarian Missions in Member States and where the need arises” She added.

The UNHCR’s senior liaison officer to ECOWAS Mr. Roger Hollo underscored the high interest of the UNHCR in partnering with the ECOWAS Commission and its institutions as a mark of solidarity with the regional organization’s efforts at staying on top of emergency situations.

The signing of cooperative agreements with ECOWAS, he explained, brought about meaningful collaborations between the two bodies. In this regard, he noted that the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ECOWAS’ Community Court of Justice represents another step of a joint working together within the spectrum of relations with ECOWAS just as the UNHCR is currently studying the problem of herders-farmers clashes in the region with a view of proffering solutions.

Thanking the training facilitators and other officials, Mr. Hollo was optimistic that the programme will equip the participants with the necessary knowledge to deal with current and futuristic emergency situations in the region.

In his remarks, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS and Chair, ECOWAS Permanent Representatives’ Committee, Ambassador Babatunde Nurudeen said the humanitarian disasters to which the region is exposed, including the consequences of terrorists’ activities and insurgencies, required urgent interventions.
Ambassador Nurudeen commended the ECOWAS Commission’s engagement with the UNHCR particularly the dedication of the Commission to the implementation of the directive of the Council of Ministers with regards to the operationalization of the EERT.

He noted that because Nigeria views the development of capacity in emergency response as crucial factor in addressing humanitarian situations, its government has always responded to the humanitarian needs of its neighbours as demonstrated by its military efforts during the civil wars in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the dispatch of hundreds of volunteers to tackle the 2015 outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea having responded successfully to the outbreak in Lagos.

With the sustenance of the required synergies among relevant stakeholders, he expressed hopes for the emergence of a highly professional and ever ready emergency response team for the region even as the EMT takes into account, new threats to peace and security such as terrorism, violent extremism, irregular migration and climate change among others.

Earlier while welcoming participants to the Nigeria Army simulation Centre, the Commandant of the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre (MLAIKPC) Major General US Yakubu said the Centre has lived up to expectations having been set up principally for peace support operations. He urged the participants to be focused and ensure that the success of the training programmes is felt in the response to the various emergency situations in the region.

The training which is being held in collaboration with the Nigerian Army has participants drawn from EERT Members from English Speaking ECOWAS Member States as well as staff of both the ECOWAS Commission and UNHCR.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL VISITS THE ECOWAS COMMISSION

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In furtherance of the excellent relations between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Federal Republic of Germany, the President of the ECOWAS Commission Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, will play host to the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Mrs. Angela Merkel, on the 31st of August 2018.

Chancellor Merkel who is being accompanied by an entourage made up of senior officials, diplomats, journalists as well as a business delegation, is expected to discuss matters of common interest to both parties with a view to strengthening the existing ECOWAS-Germany Cooperation.

Germany has regularly been providing financial and technical support to ECOWAS through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Frederich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in the areas of organisational development, peace and conflict prevention, the ECOWAS Early Warn¬ing System (ECOWARN), electoral assistance as well as trade harmonization.

Other German institutions such as the state Bank-Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and Germany’s national Metrology Institute- the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) are also supporting ECOWAS with their respective financial and technical expertise.

The aim of this support is to improve the capacity of ECOWAS in the execution of its core mandate, which is to facilitate economic and political inte¬gration in West Africa and to strengthen its monitoring and evaluation systems and management processes.

Chancellor Merkel’s visit to the ECOWAS Commission follows an earlier one in 2011. In demonstration of the robust nature of the ECOWAS-German relationship, other German top-level officials and decision makers have visited the ECOWAS Commission.

Former German President Joachim Gauck and the country’s former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is now the Federal President, had also paid official visits to the Commission in February and October 2016 respectively.

ECOWAS, AfDB COLLABRATE TOWARDS REGIONAL INTEGRATION

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A Management team of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led by its Commissioner for Macro Economy Policy and Economic Research Kofi Konadu Apraku have called on the African Development Bank (AfDB) to continue its support of regional programmes and projects in order to improve economic integration and development in the region.

In a technical meeting between the ECOWAS Commission and the AFDB on the 2011-2017 West Africa Regional Integration Strategy Paper (RISP) which began on 28th August 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria, the two organizations resolved to work closely while developing their upcoming regional integration strategies.

Commissioner Apraku urged the AfDB to take into account the ECOWAS vision while developing the next phase of its West Africa RISP which will span from 2019-2015. He stated that, the new ECOWAS vision which will follow the Vision 2020 (moving ECOWAS from a community of states to a community of people) will incorporate mechanisms which will enable countries grow and develop together.

The Commissioner said that in order to have a consensus and a sense of inclusion among community citizens on the new ECOWAS vision, town hall meetings would be held with all socio-economic groups while developing it.

The AfDB Director General for West Africa, Mrs. Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade while reiterating the bank’s commitment to the development and integration of the region stated that in order for the Community to move forward it first has to reflect on its past.


Centre- Mrs Marie-laure Akin-Olugbade

To this end the delegation form the AfDB gave a detailed presentation of the 2011-2017 West Africa RISP which highlighted its areas of focus which included linking regional markets through investments in transport infrastructure, trade facilitation, regional energy production and market integration.

Mrs. Akin-Olugbade stated this was in line with the AFDB’s high 5s for transforming Africa which are to integrate Africa, improve the quality of life for the people of Africa, light up and power Africa, industrialise Africa and feed Africa.

Hence, ‘the AfDB in its new West Africa RISP for 2019-2025 would focus on infrastructure connectivity, trade and investment, financial integration, gender related issues, climate change and youth empowerment’, she said.


A cross section of Commissioners from the ECOWAS Commission

In order to achieve a higher implementation rate of projects and programmes under the West Africa RISP 2019-2025, the AfDB will subsequently hold bi-lateral meetings with various departments of the ECOWAS Commission.

ECOWAS COMMISSION PRESIDENT HOLDS BILATERAL TALKS WITH GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL

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The President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Jean-Claude Kassi Brou received the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. Angela Merkel to the Commission Headquarters on the 31st of August, 2018.

Chancellor Merkel and her entourage arrived at the ECOWAS Commission premises at 9.05 am. She held bilateral talks with President Brou, and key officials of the ECOWAS Commission.
The leaders discussed a wide range of isues relating to ECOWAS-German cooperation, the main missions and achievements of ECOWAS since inception, the community priorities for integration and development as well as the future direction of the ECOWAS-Germany relations.

President Brou congratulated the Chancellor Merkel for her able leadership both in Europe and globally on issues such as peace and democracy and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chancellor for visiting the Commission, for the second time (after her first coming in 2011).

During the bilateral meeting, the four pillars of ECOWAS priorities meant to address the various challenges and the attainment of the ECOWAS development objectives which aligns with the vision 2020 strategic plan were highlighted. These revolve around support for the economic growth, strengthening peace, democracy and security, including social safety nets as well as building institutional capacity and efficiency.

President Brou pointed out that ECOWAS has made tremendous strides in the areas of democracy, peace and security, free movement of persons, goods and services, social affairs and humanitarian deliveries among others.

Jean-Claude Kassi Brou stressed that the ECOWAS-Germany cooperation, has led to many positive developments including but not limited to, the strong growth in the cooperation between ECOWAS and the European Union (EU) in general.

It was noted in this regard that German financial and technical cooperation with ECOWAS, is being spearheaded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) whose close alignment to the ECOWAS’ priority areas is due largely to the quality of collaboration with the German Embassy in Nigeria.

Regarding the future of the ECOWAS-Germany relations, President Brou stressed the need for advocacy in strengthening the identified four priority areas while promoting “strong investment and business relations between German private sector and the (ECOWAS) region”

The German Chancellor was received by the full complement of the Commission’s management team made up of Vice President Finda Koroma, Commissioners and the Auditor-General.

President Brou was supported at the bilateral meeting by Vice President Koroma, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Finance Mrs Halima Ahmed, the Commissioner in charge of Political Affairs, Peace and Security General Francis Behanzin as well as the Commission’s Director of Cabinet, Mr Kalilou Traore.

Chancellor Merkel who is also visiting the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, was accompanied by a delegation made up of senior officials, diplomats and a business delegation.
The visit to the ECOWAS Commission’s President is in furtherance of the excellent relations between the regional community and the Federal Republic of Germany.

Chancellor Merkel expressed the continuous support of Germany to ECOWAS’ programmes in the area of economic and market integration, single currency, health and migration.

ECOWAS to improve mutual administrative assistance and cooperation between Customs services of Member States

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r-l Mr. Dimka Victor David, Mr. Tei KONZI and Mr. Salifou Tiemtore ECOWAS Director for Customs

Abuja, 3rd September 2018  . Experts from the Customs sector of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) commenced a three day meeting on 3rd September 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria in order to review and adopt a draft Supplementary Act on mutual administrative assistance and cooperation between customs administrations among Member States.

The Supplementary Act which seeks to improve the exchange of information and increased cooperation between Customs administrations of the sub-region is a follow up from Protocol A/P5/5/82 called the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters which ECOWAS signed on 29 May 1982.

The ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Trade, Customs and Free movement, Tèi Konzi in his opening remarks noted that the supplementary act had become necessary as even after its definitive entry into force as of 2nd April 1985 the Convention has not been implemented.

The Commissioner highlighted that in addition to the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) and other Custom policies put in place to facilitate inter-regional trade, the supplementary act will take into account challenges such as terrorism, money laundry and cross-border crimes.

Cross-section of participants
Group picture of participants

Representing the Nigerian Customs Services and chairman of the meeting, Comptroller Dimka Victor David, said that ‘the meeting affords ECOWAS the opportunity to review its procedure, achievements and challenges with the view of lubricating the rusty areas of our mutual administrative assistance and cooperation’.

The head of the Trade and Customs unit of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Amanda Bisong who was also in attendance of the opening session of the meeting reiterated the German organization’s commitment to the economic integration of the region and pledged its continued support to customs related initiatives and regulations.

Delegates from Member States will discuss the main principles and orientations of the draft Supplementary Act which include its scope and general provisions, conditions for assistance, information, cross-border cooperation and surveillance, the terms by which Member states will related with the Commission and the delegation of powers amongst others.

Meeting of ECOWAS Maritime Zones Opens in Abidjan

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From L – R Mr Nuhu Musa Sant, Ambassador Babacar Carlos, M. Wautabouna Ouattara, Contre-Admiral Djanakaridja Konate and Dr Cyriaque Agnekethom

Abidjan, 5th September, 2018. The Staffing Meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Maritime Zones commenced in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Wednesday, 5th September, 2018, to discuss the nomination of appropriate staff positions for the West African Regional Maritime Security Coordination Centre (CRESMAO) as well as the Zones E, F and G Maritime Multinational Coordination Centres (MMCCs).

During the opening ceremony of the event; the Chief of Ivorian Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Djanakaridja Konate, expressed the Ministry of Defense’s delight at the prospects of staffing and operationalization of the Maritme Centres which are key mechanisms towards the fight against Maritime criminalities in the region.

The ECOWAS Resident Representative in Cote d’Ivoire, Ambassador Babacar Mbaye speaking on behalf of the Commissioner, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Gen. Francis Behanzin, reiterated the need for the meeting to effect the implementation of the provisions of the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy (EIMS) Architecture.

Ambassador Mbaye also expressed the ECOWAS Commission’s gratitude to the German Development Agency (GIZ), European Union (EU) and the Danish government for their consistent support towards development projects as well as the implementation of the regional Maritme archictecture.

Participants at the opening ceremony

The representative of the Government of Cote d’Ivoire and Director General, African Integration Mr. Wautabouna Ouattara while declaring the meeting open highlighted the importance of the Maritme Zones which promotes collaboration and cooperation in order to achieve the security of the ECOWAS Maritme domain.

Participants at the 3-day meeting including representatives from Member States Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Transport are already reviewing their various organograme in functional dynamics of CRESMAO and Maritime Centres.

 


ECOWAS seeks to harmonise Telecommunications/ICT market regulations in the region

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L-R Wakili Saidu and Dr.Raphael Koffi

Abuja, 5th September 2018 . Representatives from the Ministries of Telecommunications/Information and Communications Technology (ICT) of Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have called for increased cooperation amongst National Regulatory Authorities for the effective regulation of the ICT market.

This was one of the major recommendations of delegates during a two-day meeting which concluded on 4th September 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria.

The meeting which was convened to review the guidelines on market analysis and evaluation of Significant Market Power (SMP) and the recommendation on relevant market goods and services for the region also called for the Commission to consider regulating Over-The-Top (OTT) services at regional level.

The guidelines and recommendations complement the provisions of the Supplementary Act A/SA 2/01/07 on Access and Interconnection to Networks and Services in the ICT sector as envisaged in Article 19, item 2(b) and (c) that the ECOWAS Commission undertakes the publication of the guidelines on market analysis and evaluation of significant market power and recommendations on relevant markets for goods and services in the telecommunications sector.

These guidelines and recommendations will provide regulatory authorities in Member States the relevant tools to promote market analysis and to adopt a coordinated approach to market regulation. It will also ensure the sustainable development of the ECOWAS domestic market and provide the requisite legal security to service operators and providers.

Group picture of participants

The Commission’s acting Director for Digital Economy and Post, Dr. Raphael Koffi stated that the publication of a regional guideline on market analysis and a recommendation on relevant markets is important not only in the context of the harmonisation of policies, but will also allow operators to face similar rules and same conditions for operating in a market irrespective of which country they are operating in.

‘This indeed shall form the foundations for provision of certain applicable ICT services regionally beyond the geographic borders of a country, which is the ultimate goal of ECOWAS as a trade and customs union’ he said.

Similarly, speaking on behalf of the delegates, Mr.Wakili Saidu from the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Communications highlighted that access and interconnection of ICT networks and services are paramount for the promotion of economic integration in the region.

The ECOWAS Ministers in charge of ICT and Telecommunications had at their 12th Ministerial Meeting held in 2013 in Banjul, called for the Commission to develop and publish the guidelines for the identification of appropriate markets in the region in line with Supplementary Act A/SA.2/01/07 relating to access and interconnection of the networks and services in the ICT sector.

The guidelines and recommendations would be presented to the ICT Ministers for adoption during their meeting scheduled to hold in 2019.

Regional experts validate supplementary act aimed at improving customs operations in the region

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L-R Mr. Tei KONZI and Mr. Dimka Victor David, Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Services

Abuja, 7th September 2018. Customs experts from Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have urged the Commission to support the implementation of the Supplementary Act on Mutual Administrative Assistance and Cooperation between Customs Administrations in the region.

The experts who met in a three day meeting from 4th to 6th September 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria to review and amend the draft Supplementary Act also called for the computerisation of customs offices in Member States for better interconnectivity of Customs computer systems.

The ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Trade, Customs and Free movement, Tei Konzi stated that this would help improve the exchange of information and strengthen cooperation amongst Customs operatives in the region.

Similarly the Commission’s Director for Customs, Salifou Tiemtore in his presentation to the delegates on the draft Supplementary Act mentioned that the need for improved exchange of information was due to the worrying security situation prevailing in the West Africa region and the liberalization of intra-community trade and free movement of goods in the custom union under construction which is also likely to generate illicit traffic flows.

Cross section of participants during the meeting

The experts noted that, after a comparative analysis of the legal and practical provisions of the ECOWAS convention and the Johannesburg convention it had become necessary to revise the convention and adapt it to address modern challenges.

They highlighted the need for the Supplementary Act to take into account the protection of cultural objects, works of art and antiquities, endangered species of flora and fauna in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The draft Supplementary Act is a follow up from Protocol A/P5/5/82 called the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters which ECOWAS signed on 29 May 1982.

Regional radio station in Monrovia to effectively cover the 15 ECOWAS Member States by 2022

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Dr Zouli Bonkoungou giving his speech

Monrovia, 7 September 2018. The regional radio station in Monrovia, Liberia, is expected to cover all Community Member States by 2022. During that period, the production and broadcasting of programmes in English, French and Portuguese will become a reality.

It was recommended that by 2020, the coverage of the radio and broadcasting of programmes in the three ECOWAS official languages should be effective in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau and Cabo Verde. The projects will continue in 2021 in 5 other countries, and will be completed in 2022 with the remaining 4 countries.

These were the main recommendations of the meeting of experts from the Ministries of Information of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on the Community Radio Station, held on 4 and 5 September 2018 in the Liberian capital.

Other recommendations from participants included funding, management structure, technical equipment and infrastructure, as well as ECOWAS radio broadcasts and programmes.

The recommendations were made to Liberia, other Member States and ECOWAS, and are expected to be tabled before Member States’ Ministers of Information for consideration and approval.

Subsequently, the proposals and recommendations will be submitted to ECOWAS statutory bodies, notably the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC), the Council of Ministers, and the Authority of Heads of State and Government, for adoption.

Speaking at the start of the meeting, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Telecommunications and Information Technology, Dr Zouli Bonkoungou, stated that the Commission will spare no effort to support the implementation of the recommendations arising from the meeting.

On behalf of the Commission President, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, he expressed his gratitude to the Liberian government for its support to the regional radio station. He thanked and commended the participants for their presence and valuable contributions during deliberations, and called for continued support for the regional radio station well beyond the meeting.

For his part, the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Liberia, Ambassador Babatunde Ajisomo, assured the participants of the regional organisation’s continued support to the Community Radio Station to ensure coverage of the entire region.

On behalf of the participants, the Director of the Ivorian Television Fréquence 2 (RTI 2), Mrs Gnougo Mariam Coulibaly, thanked the goverment of Liberia for the facilities extended to them to ensure the smooth conduct of deliberations.

Ghana’s Ambassador to Liberia, Ernest-Burke Asare-Asiedu, as well as Honourable Clarence Massaquoi and Stephen Zargo of the ECOWAS Parliament, also attended the meeting.

All 15 ECOWAS Member States were represented at the meeting.

It is recalled that on 23 March 2018, in Monrovia, the former United Nations Mission in Liberia transferred its radio station to ECOWAS, at a ceremony chaired by the Liberian Head of State, George Manneh Weah.

 

West African police chiefs committee meet on trans-border crime collaboration

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l-r_ Representative of the Interpol,Kedji Abbe, DCP, Selem Amachree, Col. Ollo Alain Pale, representing, C. PAPS

Abuja, 11th September 2018. The two-Day Technical Sub – Committee meeting on Training and Operation of the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO) got underway in Abuja, Nigeria on the 11th of September 2018.

Among others, the meeting is deliberating on effective coordination of operational police activities in the region with a view to reinforcing regional capacities to effectively combat transnational organized crime.

Welcoming participants to the meeting, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), General Francis Behanzin, noted that crime and criminality have continued to pose a big threat to lives and property thereby creating an unconducive environment for meaningful development.

This he said is being made worse by the “fast evolution of information technology” which has further sophisticated the platforms and tactics used by criminal networks against their targets and victims while proceeds from transnational organized crime are increasingly used to perpetuate acts of terrorism, destabilization of governance structures through corruption of officials, law enforcement agents and Judicial officers at all levels.

Cross section of Delegates from ECOWAS member States during opening ceremony in Abuja, 11th September 2018
Group photograph of the WAPCO sub-Technical Committee on Training and Operations. Abuja, 11th September 2018

Speaking through the Head, ECOWAS peace support operations Colonel Ollo Alain Pale, Commissioner Behanzin pointed out that security and law enforcement agents have for so many years focused on terrestrial, aerial and maritime borders as key points for close surveillance against transnational crime.

He stressed that even though reasonable progress has been made in tightening security, the “dynamic availability and capacity” of cyberspace which transcends geographical borders gives a somewhat more efficient, faster and safer leverage for criminals to operate.

The scenario according to the Commissioner, “mandates us to increase our capacities on the fight against transnational border crime of all forms which includes training and operational tactics”

Stressing that “criminal intelligence and information sharing is key to the effective fight against transnational organized networks and activities” the Commissioner submitted that efforts employed at the national levels are therefore not sufficient to contain transnational criminality except such efforts are strengthened by increased regional and global exertions.

Addressing participants during the opening ceremony, Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Idris Ibrahim disclosed that in tandem with best practices, community and intelligence-led policing have been brought to the fore under his watch.

Represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Salem Vincent Amachree, the IGP stressed that the Nigerian Police Force has made breakthroughs in crime detection as a result of robust collaboration, information sharing and intelligence cooperation between the International Police Organization (INTERPOL) and police services in West Africa.

The Nigerian police boss noted that the security challenges of farmer-herders conflict, stolen vehicles, illicit drug peddling/human trafficking together with terrorism and armed robbery have cross border colouration underscoring the need for persistent cooperation and collaboration among ECOWAS Member States.

In his remarks, the head, INTERPOL regional Bureau for West Africa Kedji Marcellin Abbe lamented that nowadays trans-national criminal groups are constantly adapting flexible networks, whose structure is easy to set up and which change the type of traffic in terms of detection risks and to reap the maximum profits, they supplant the traditional hierarchical structure in the security systems.

In view of this however, he disclosed that INTERPOL is devising strategies to constantly be on top of the situation.

“We believe that in each of our countries, we now have to deepen reflections so as to have trainings and police operations for our officers in order to combat trans-national crimes”

He added

Participants at the Abuja meeting drawn from the pool of police officers from Member States, ECOWAS personnel, INTERPOL representatives and other relevant law enforcement agencies are also expected to adopt a reporting format and timeline for Crime Statistics reporting to WAPCCO Secretariat.

In 2001 ECOWAS Heads of State and Government created the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO) as a consultative body for regional Police cooperation with the principal objective of creating a forum that would strengthen the fight against trans national crime; facilitate the development of a regional strategy against crime trends through proper coordination and to encourage joint activities of Member State Police forces in the fight against criminality.

 

ECOWAS strategizes to curb effects of climate change in the region

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Group photograph of participants

Abuja, 12th September 2018 . The Scientific and Technical Consultative Group on Climate Change (STCGCC) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have commenced a three-day meeting on 12th September 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria in order to develop strategies which will ensure the coordinated and effective use of scientific research to address the challenges of climate change in the region.

Members of the STCGCC will also validate the Terms of Reference for the development of a comprehensive regional programme on climate change and the study on its impacts and adaptation costs in agriculture, water resources and the coastal zones in West Africa.

In his opening remarks during the meeting, Mr.Bougonou Djeri-Alassani, the ECOWAS Head of Division for Environment Policies and Regulations who represented the Commission’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Sékou Sangare, stated that in West Africa, more than 75% of the population are affected at least once every two years by natural phenomena that are increasingly violent and devastating due to climate change.

Mr.Djeri-Alassani highlighted that this has led to desertification, the degradation of natural resources and food insecurity which has had an adverse effect on the economy and the quality of life of Community citizens.

He stated that in order to address this situation, several initiatives are being carried out around the world under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris agreement which was adopted in December 2015 to find sustainable solutions that will protect the environment.

‘At the regional level, institutions for climate research are working to identify the dynamics of these changes in order to better guide the fight against climate change’, he said.

This is the 2nd meeting of the STCGCC. The first meeting of the group which held in February 2017 initiated discussions for coordinating climate related actions among regional institutions.

Article 4

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Abuja, 13 September 2018. The President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, who is leading a large delegation, arrived Accra, Ghana on Thursday 13 September 2018 for the state funeral of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.In addition to Mr Brou, the delegation includes the Vice-President of the Commission, Mrs. Finda Koroma, senior staff of the organisation, and the Auditor General of ECOWAS institutions, Dr. Alfred Mahamadu Braimah.

Jean-Claude Kassi Brou and the accompanying delegation will present ECOWAS condolences to the Ghanaian government and people, as well as to the family of late Kofi Annan.

The late Ghanaian diplomat, who died on Saturday, 18 August 2018, in Geneva, Switzerland, at the age of 80, will be buried in the new Accra Military Cemetery.

Speaking after a meeting with the family of the deceased, the Ghanaian Head of State, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, stated that it is “the most appropriate place to host late Kofi Annan’s funeral”.

Born on 8 April 1938 in Kumasi, Ghana, and after studying Economics in Geneva, Kofi Annan joined the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1962. He then worked in various UN agencies, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).In 1972, he earned a Master of Science degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

From 1993 to 1996, he served as UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations during the genocide in Rwanda and the war in Bosnia.On 1st January 1997, Kofi Annan became Secretary-General of the United Nations, the first to rise through the ranks of the organisation and the first Secretary-General from sub-Saharan Africa.

He was re-elected for a second five-year term in June 2001.On 12 October 2001, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, jointly with the UN. In 2007, he joined the “Elders”, a group of international personalities working for the conflict resolution in the world, a group spearheaded by Nelson Mandela. Kofi Annan also founded the Kofi Annan Foundation that same year.

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, established in the Ghanaian capital, was named after him.

ECOWAS Commission donates relief items to IDPS To Commemorate World Humanitarian Day

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Director Iheme (middle) supported by Mrs Bada giving an item to the IDP women leader Kaltumi Abubakar

Abuja, 13th September 2018. As part of its commitment to bringing succour to displaced and socially dislocated citizens, the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) donated some relief items to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja, Nigeria on the 13th of September 2018.

The gesture is in commemoration of the World Humanitarian Day (WHD), marked worldwide at the behest of the United Nations (UN), on the 19th of August 2018, by the Commission in league with other stakeholders such as the Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), and the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The items donated by the ECOWAS Commission included bags of rice, cartons of oil as well as tons of clothing materials.

Handing over the items to the IDPs at their camp in Karimajiji, in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, the Commission’s Director, Humanitarian Affairs Mrs. Florence Iheme told the recipients that the ECOWAS Commission will continue its humanitarian services to the displaced persons in the region as part of its larger corporate responsibility to the people of West Africa.

Conveying warm greetings to the IDPs on behalf of the President of the Commission Jean Claude Kassi-Brou, Mrs Iheme assured them that their deplorable condition is not lost on the Management of the Commission.

some of the food items

The Director stated that he ECOWAS Commission is helping the government of Nigeria in resolving the insurgency problem that has created humanitarian camps. “ECOWAS is working hard, in support of the Nigerian government and our partners to resolve the problems that brought you here” she added.

The Head, IDP Department of the Nigerian NCFRMI Mrs Schizzer Nasara Bada stressed the need for continuous good behaviour by the IDPs noting that international agencies and regional Organisations such as ECOWAS will not abandon them until they are reintegrated into the society.

The IDPs, mostly women and children were elated by the ECOWAS gesture. The Chairman of the Karimajiji camp Mr. Mohammed Abubakar supported by their Women Leader Hajia Kaltumi Abubakar expressed their appreciation and urged more support and kindness from ECOWAS.

Apart from pledging about one million dollars’ worth of humanitarian assistance package for  the troubled areas of the region, the ECOWAS Commission has continued to provide timely assistance to IDPs in the affected communities in Nigeria, Niger and Sierra Leone, among others.

 


ECOWAS Commission trains member states’ representatives in fiscal forecasting and revenue mobilisation

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L-R Mr. Harouna Ide Soumana, Representative of UEMOA, Commissioner Tèi Konzi and Mr. Salifou Tiemtore, ECOWAS Commission Director of Customs

Abuja, 11th September 2018. The ECOWAS Commission is training Member States in fiscal forecasting and revenue mobilization.

To this end, a 5-day training workshop is holding in Abuja, Nigeria, from the 10th to the 15th of September, 2018.

The Workshop is being organized by ECOWAS Commission, to develop capacities in the Quasi-accounting model for Revenue administrators from ECOWAS Member States, UEMOA as well as the academia.

The Director of Customs Mr, Salifou Tiemtore opened the workshop with a welcome message from the Commissioner of Trade, Customs and Free Movement Mr. Tei Konzi. He congratulated Member States for adopting this model and working to actualise the harmonisation of revenue collection and analysis within the community.

Group Photograph of Participants after the Cossing Ceremony

The representative of Nigeria, Mr. Sanusi Shu’aibu Gwaram, gave the goodwill message, welcoming all participants to Abuja the Nigerian capital. He urged all participants, to participate fully in order to contribute to the capacity building of the various countries. He also reminded them, that they are the focal points from their states and will need to absorb as much as possible, in order to be able to train their fellow colleagues, when they get back home.

The ECOWAS fiscal Transition Programme was developed to assist member states maximize the positive effects of regional integration and minimize the negative effects of tax competition in the emerging customs union within the Community.

This said programme has six priority intervention areas with five axes. With capacity development of customs and tax administrators being one of the key measures.

In recognition of the critical role of forecasting in domestic revenue mobilization, the ECOWAS Commission through the Customs Directorate and Economic Policy Analysis Unit (EPAU), had a series of missions and consultation with Member States, to identify their training needs for revenue mobilisation and fiscal forecasting for 2017.

As a result, a training workshop was organised with the main objectives of designing an effective means of addressing these needs and priotizing them based on fiscal forecasting and an action plan was drafted for effective implementation of the proposed model.

The Quasi accounting model was chosen as the main instrument to be used in all the member states. This model will also aid interaction with the international Monetary Fund’s Missions. Based on needs identified, Member States were categorised in terms of their operational capacities of the model for policy simulation and analysis.

At the end of the workshop, participants will have a better understanding on how to apply Quasi-accounting Model at national level to improve the efficiency and streamline forecasting analysis.

Participants will also learn how to automate Quasi-accounting model for stimulation, forecasting and impact analysis.

ECOWAS public radio and Television partnership for better processing of regional information

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Dr Zouli Bonkoungou

Grand Bassam (Côte d’Ivoire), 14 September 2018. The Ivoirian Minister of Communication and Media, and Government’s Spokesperson, Sidi Tiémoko Touré, pleaded for a readjustment or a redefinition of the editorial and information policies of the media in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

In his speech delivered in Grand Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire, on Thursday 13 September 2018, during the opening of a regional seminar on public radio and television stations in the ECOWAS region, he invited media professionals to process information with fairness, relevance and intelligence.

‘Information is available anytime, anywhere. It is therefore imperative to process, present and if necessary, control it in order to provide a complete, fair and documented information as well as curb misconceptions or unfounded rumours’, Sidi Tiémoko Touré stated.

 He urged media practitioners to respect the principles of equity, freedom and plurality as defined in the code of conduct and ethics of the media.

Group photo
The panel

 Mr Touré said he was convinced that the conclusions and recommendations of the meeting would provide guidelines for the definition of an ambitious cooperation scheme that meets Africa’s vision for the media.

Speaking in the same vein, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Telecommunications and Information Technology, Dr Zouli Bonkoungou, representing the President of the Institution, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the event’s sponsor,  lauded the organisation of the meeting which, according to him, will facilitate the creation of a framework to promote the sharing of information on regional integration.

He expressed the hope that the meeting would be a good opportunity for radio and television stations in the region to work together on one hand, and on the other hand, collaborate with ECOWAS for a greater visibility of activities and achievements of the regional organisation.

‘I am convinced that this would be the beginning of a lasting and fruitful collaboration between West African public radio and television stations and ECOWAS Institutions. Indeed, one of the major obstacles to ECOWAS integration efforts is the poor knowledge of the programmes, activities and objectives of the regional organisation by its citizens’, Dr Zouli Bonkoungou pointed out.

He expressed optimism that the objectives of the seminar, which include the improvement of regional editorial contents, establishment of correspondents’ network and mutual assistance among public radio and television in the region, would ensure the processing and dissemination of information on issues relating to regional integration, peace, security, stability and democracy in West Africa.

The Director General of Côte d’Ivoire’s Radio and Television Broadcasting Corporation, (RTI), Ahmadou Bakayoko, questioned the importance given to these issues in Community radio and television programmes.

‘When we review information provided by radio and television, there is little information on programmes in the sub-region and we are not abreast of developments in the region’, he opined.

He pointed out that the meeting is aimed at bridging the information gap in a competitive environment with technological and economic developments as well as the ever increasing demand by listeners and viewers.

‘We should learn to work together in order to have quality contents’, he said, stressing that the aim of the seminar is to share experience with a view to establishing a cooperation framework. This can be attained through regional editorial contents, mutual assistance framework and creation of a network of correspondents at the end of the meeting.

The regional seminar on information programmes of West African public radio and television was attended by heads and representatives of media organisations.

Organised by RTI, under the sponsorship of ECOWAS, the seminar seeks to foster partnership among stakeholders for ‘better processing’ of news in the region.

About 30 delegates from Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo attended the meeting.

 

ECOWAS and partners host Hydromet forum to safeguard the environment

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Abuja, September 14th 2018. The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is convening a 3-Day regional hydromet Forum and a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) platform to press for a safer environment for sustainable livelihood among others in the region.

 

The Forum which starts on the 19th of September 2018, in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire is being organised in collaboration with the World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the government of Cote d’Ivoire and other partners.

 

It will afford dignitaries and experts the perfect opportunity to proffer solutions to the challenging issues of the environment and raise the level of advocacy on the critical need to save lives while strengthening public and private investments.

 

Besides, the forum will provide an avenue for decision makers such as West African Ministers responsible for meteorology, finance, planning, Water, and DRR and experts from regional organizations, the academia, national hydromet services as well as disaster risk management organizations, to discuss regional initiatives, identify areas for collaboration while appraising financing opportunities.

 

Some of these identified challenges include funding, capacity building, infrastructure, technology exchange and knowledge sharing. They also revolve around the problems which the various national hydrological and meteorological services are facing in the region as well as the dissemination of information to end users through DRR Services.

 

Addressing these challenges will boost socio-economic development, regional integration and impact positively on gender equality in the region.

 

Essentially, the Forum and DRR Platform are primed to help galvanise regional leadership to strengthen weather, water and climate services in their global public good function for climate risk management, climate adaptation and disaster risk management.

 

It is also envisaged that participants would brainstorm and come up with workable approaches to the harnessing of existing weather, water, soil and climatic information strategies and programmes to achieve sustainable development in the West African region including the all-important need to mobilise resources for the implementation of projects at the nexus of hydrology and meteorology.

 

In the process private sector initiatives are to be highlighted in support of hydromet, early warning and disaster risk management services, while connecting potential business partners to ongoing initiatives.

 

Experts hold that effective and reliable hydromet services help ensure that people can be safely evacuated before a disaster. Government agencies can effectively plan for climate adaptation. Farmers can better plan for how to grow their crops, and businesses can make use of timely, accurate data in their decision-making. With useful weather, water, and climate information services, pilots and meteorologists can also plan and make more informed decisions, while water and weather-dependent industries like fishing, electricity, and tourism can become more efficient.

 

The Forum brings together about 212 participants comprising national representatives and experts from meteorology, hydrology and Disaster Risk Reduction, experts from West African technical institutions, national agencies and ECOWAS partners and global institutions.

2017 Member States’ macroeconomic convergence on the agenda of the 40th WAMZ council meeting

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Group Photo of ZMAO Central Banks  gouvernors

Abuja, 15 September 2018 . The 40th statutory meeting of the Council of Ministers of Member States of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) was held on 14 September 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria, and attended by central bank governors, the representative of the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and several other dignitaries.

During the meeting, the ministers reviewed the macroeconomic convergence situation in Member States for 2017 and discussed the achievements and challenges relating to the introduction of the common currency by 2020.

The meeting also considered the report of the 37th session of the WAMZ Committee of Central Bank Governors and the status of implementation of previous decisions.

On behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the Commissioner for Industry and Private Sector Promotion, Mamadou Traoré, lauded the collaboration between ECOWAS and WAMZ.

He outlined the progress made by the Commission of the regional organisation in the area of energy, road infrastructure, financial market integration, and private sector promotion.

Mr Traoré also highlighted the introduction of a regional payment system, the ECOWAS investment guarantee mechanism, the promotion and liberalisation of trade in the region, the consolidation of the customs union, the implementation of the Common External Tariff by 14 Member States and the creation of a free trade area through the establishment of a trade liberalisation scheme within ECOWAS.

He nevertheless noted that significant challenges remain to be addressed, particularly with regard to the choice of exchange rate regime, the monetary policy framework and the right choice of the central bank model for the future common monetary area.

For his part, the representative of the Nigerian Minister of Finance urged members of the Council to create a robust framework for the implementation of the Community currency to ensure economic growth and well-being of West African people.

“We must strive to strengthen macroeconomic indicators, ensure sustainable growth and place particular emphasis on investment and diversification of our economies,” he stated.

The panel with Dr Koffi Konadu Apraku (R)

He indicated that Nigeria will continue to play its leadership role in the process leading to the implementation of the ECOWAS single currency.

It should be recalled that the 37th session of the Committee of WAMZ Central Bank Governors was held the day before in the auditorium of the Central Bank of Nigeria, also in Abuja.

Aside from the Governors, delegates from the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) and the representative of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) also attended the meeting.

The ECOWAS Commission was represented by Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Commissioner for Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research.

Fiscal Forecasting and revenue mobilisation workshop ends in Abuja

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Abuja, 15th September 2018. After five days of interesting and challenging exchanges, debates and acquisition of new modelling techniques, the Fiscal forecasting and revenue mobilization Workshop came to a close on Friday, 14th September, 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria.

During the Workshop, participants familiarised themselves with the Quasi–Accounting Modelling system for stimulation, forecasting and impact analysis.

The workshop was organized by the Customs Directorate, of the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with GIZ and UEMOA. It created a platform for participants to improve their professional skills in revenue mobilization and streamline their various models into a harmonized system by developing their capacities in the Quasi-accounting model for Revenue administrators from Member States, UEMOA as well as the academia.

The Workshop’s program was developed to assist member states maximize the positive effects of regional integration and minimize the negative effects of tax competition in the emerging customs union within the Community.

In his closing ceremony remarks, the Director, Revenue and Tax Policy, Ministry of Finance Sierra Leone, Mr. Idrissa Kanu, who spoke on behalf of all participants, thanked the people and government of Nigeria for the warm hospitality accorded them in the city of Abuja.

He extended the participants’ sincere appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission, for the professionalism displayed throughout the training. He promised that, this is the beginning of great things to happen within the sub-region, because they have learnt a lot which will impact positively in their jobs and communities going forward.

On his part, the Director of Customs Mr, Salifou Tiemtore who represented the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner of Trade, Customs and Free Movement Mr. Tèi Konzi, said as ECOWAS conducted a needs assessment of all the Member States in revenue forecasting between December 2016 and March 2017. Four major needs from the assessment were identified as appropriate and relevant.

They are: Quasi accounting model used for macroeconomic forecasting in Member States (TRIST, Budget-Eco etc), Static and dynamic Computable Gen Equilibrium Modelling, Macro econometric modelling for forecasting and impact analysis of economic policies, and T21 modelling for long-term forecasting and simulation.

He said based on this a decision was taken to commence the training with the basic and less complicated forecasting tool which is the Quasi-accounting model. Barring any financial limitation, a train-the –trainers Workshop will be rolled out for the other three models in the future.

“We hope that some of you or your colleagues back home will be able to join us for the future workshops”, he added.

He further stressed the importance of continuous practice and transfer of the knowledge acquired into useful tools, on return of the Participants to their respective stations.

The workshop ended with the presentation of certificates of participation to all participants.

 

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