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ECOWAS supports debt cancellation, plans post-pandemic economic policies
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on Friday resolved to support the African Union’s initiative to negotiate with partners for debt cancellation for member-states.
The ECOWAS position is part of measures to ensure economic sustainability and recoveries for member-states through and beyond the Coronavirus pandemic.
The measures were adopted at a teleconference by the summit of Heads of State and Government, convened to deliberate on ways to contain the virus spread and stabilise their economies.
According to a communiqué issues at the end of the summit, the ECOWAS leaders mooted the development of a joint economic response plan that will focus on post-pandemic economic recoveries.
The summit’s resolve in terms of stabilisation and economic recovery are to:
“Develop jointly, a response plan taking into account the fight against the spread of the pandemic and a post-pandemic economic recovery plan.
“Issue long-term treasury bills and bonds to finance critical investment needs to support the private sector and revive economies.
“Provide substantial support to the social sectors (distance learning tools, strengthening of health systems and facilities, easy internet access and for the most disadvantaged segments of society (social safety nets).
“Deploy through the Central Banks, tools, means and significant liquidity to support the financial sector, in particular banks and financial institutions, in providing assistance to the private sector, especially Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) and microfinance institutions in providing support to the informal sector.
“Mobilise additional resources from the international community to address the economic and social challenges confronting member-states and support the African Union’s initiative to negotiate with partners for cancellation of public debt and restructuring of private debt of African countries.’’
The summit also resolved to implement measures to support the local production of consumer goods, including agricultural products, thereby reducing the import bill for goods.
Support for programme for the pharmaceutical and health protection equipment manufacturing sector was also on the front burner.
The summit noted that current production capacity could not meet up to 20 per cent of the sub-regional needs.
It called on all member-states to avoid the imposition of import restrictions on other ECOWAS countries, especially as it relates to essential goods such as food and drugs.
“The authority also invites all the relevant partners to accelerate efforts for production of vaccines and adequate therapy against the virus, as well as support the region in the development of research capacity.
“In addition, authority calls on them to ensure provision of vaccines at subsidised prices, to the affected countries, including ECOWAS member-states.
“With a view to ensuring high-level coordination of all the regional efforts to contain the pandemic, the summit appoints Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Champion to coordinate the COVID-19 response,” it said. (NAN)
April 24, 2020
ECOWAS appoints Buhari COVID-19 response coordinator for Africa sub-region
Member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have appointed Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari as the coordinator of the sub-regions’ response to coronavirus.
“ECOWAS leaders at an extraordinary summit held by video conference have appointed President Muhammadu Buhari as Champion that will coordinate the COVID-19 response in the sub-region,” Nigeria’s presidential spokesman Femi Adesina tweeted on Thursday.
Adesina expressed optimism that “all the other Presidents will be available to support President Buhari.”
Before Buhari’s appointment, ECOWAS leaders had deliberated on the effects of coronavirus which has halted economic and normal activities in their countries during a summit held via video conference.
During his opening remarks, chairman of the ECOWAS and President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Issoufou, lamented about the effects of the deadly virus on the people and economies of the member-states.
Issoufou called for collaborative efforts among the member-states to combat the pandemic, which he, said had already claimed many lives in the region.
The Nigerien president, who spoke in the French language, also advocated for total debts cancellation for African countries to enable the African continent to survive the post-coronavirus era.
Currently, Africa has over 25,600 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the continent, with a number of countries imposing a range of prevention and containment measures against the spread of the pandemic.
The latest data by the John Hopkins University and Africa Center for Disease Control on COVID-19 in Africa said only two countries- Lesotho and Comoros are without a confirmed case of coronavirus as of April 23.
ECOWAS countries in West Africa region- the Benin Republic with 54 coronavirus cases, Burkina Faso 609, Cape Verde 73, Cote D’Ivoire 952, The Gambia 10, Ghana 1,154, Guinea 761, Guinea Bissau 50, Libera 101, Mali 293, Niger 662, Nigeria 873, Senegal 442, Sierra Leone 61 and Togo with 88 cases have all implemented different measures including social distancing, stay-at-home order curfews, travel bans and lockdown in key regions and cities to curb the pandemic.
April 23, 2020
Buhari attends ECOWAS summit via teleconference
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja via teleconference participated in extraordinary summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).
At the conference with other heads of state and government of the Economic Community of West Africa states,
the biggest agenda was how to strengthen collaborative efforts among member states to flatten the curve of transmission.
The world bank and the African Development Bank have remained the biggest regional support in the fight against the Corona Virus.
But there still seemed to be so many more people in the ECOWAS region cut out below the poverty line and in need of Humanitarian assistance
The Special Representatives of the United Nations Secretary General for West Africa, Mohammed Ibn Chambers also said there is need for a cancellation of debts owed by African Countries.
He believed this will cushion the effect of the virus on the economy of ECOWAS.
April 23, 2020
New ECOWAS Speaker pledges to enshrine accountability
The new Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Mohammed Tunis, has promised to enshrine accountability in the activities of institutions of the community.
Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday in Niameh, Niger Republic on the sidelines of the on-going inaugural session of the 5th Legislature, Tunis said that citizens of the community deserve to know how their resources are spent.
The Speaker who already mooted plans to establish a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the parliament, said that he intends to check corruption within the community by ensuring better accountability.
He recalled with displeasure certain cases of corruption recorded in some ECOWAS Institutions, saying that the proposed committee would be able to address the challenges.
“In the first place, we are all aware of the fact that on several occasions, at different times, we have had situations of corruption in the commission and other ECOWAS Institutions.
“I believe that while the commission may be doing everything possible to ensure transparency and accountability, I do not see any neutral player in all of these to look into issues after the Auditor General’s report.
“In all parliaments, parliamentarians serve like the buffer: in our national parliament when the auditor general finishes his report, he will bring it to parliament where they will look at it independently.” he said.
He insisted that the right thing is for the report to be debated by the parliamentarians and all grey areas be addressed.
Tunis decried the situation where if there are issues with the report of the Auditor General, it is still the auditors that will address the issue.
“This to me does not add up at all.
“So my plan is to have this committee, prevail on the Authority of Heads of State through the Commission to approve it so it becomes a Standing Committee in the Parliament.
“So whenever there are audit reports, it comes to that committee and they have public hearings so that the public know exactly what is happening to their resources.
“I am very determined, in this particular parliament we will start with ourselves, we are going to ensure that there is transparency, we must be able to account for the monies that have been entrusted to us,” he said.
The Parliamentarian expressed commitment to enhance women and gender issues in the parliament and among member states.
According to him, he said that women must be encouraged to participate, urging all member states to fully implement the affirmative action for women.
He expressed disappointment at the abysmally low representation of women in the 35-member delegation from Nigeria.
He called on Nigeria to extend its big brother role to exemplifying gender parity in their election and appointment of delegates.
“One of the key areas that I am really looking at is to ensure that I empower women groups and networks across the ECOWAS region so that they will be able to participate in politics.
“Everybody is talking about affirmative action at our National Parliaments where we give women 30 per cent quota in governance be it in executive, legislature and the MDAs.
“But there has to be a starting point.
“So this is one area I am looking at to ensure that we have female participation in politics, not just politics but all mediation levels, women play very important roles in these things,” he said. (NAN)
March 10, 2020
ECOWAS worried by Guinea Bissau, other crisis in the region
By Our Reporter
The ECOWAS Parliament and Commission on Wednesday raised concerns over the security challenges in the region.
It called for collective efforts to restore stability in the region, especially the political crisis in Guinea Bissau.
The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Moustapha Cisse-Lo, said this at the Second Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament held in Abuja.
He said that it was important to act collectively as a region to eradicate spiral violence and recurrent attacks.
“The recurrent terrorist attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso, where they have become more deadly, remind us of the critical need to respond appropriately to this threat.
“Terrorism and insecurity have assumed unprecedented proportions in our region, they constitute a major challenge that needs to be absolutely addressed.
“Inasmuch as we all agree that without peace and security, sustainable development is unachievable, indeed, there is a close link between security, stability, democracy, peace and development, which are all necessary and interwoven. It is necessary for us to act now and vigorously to eradicate this spiral of violence.
“In this regard, the involvement of our States and the pooling of our forces and resources seem to me very important, failing which the fight against terrorism will remain ineffective.
“We all paid particular attention to the events in Guinea-Bissau, which disrupted the political situation in the country in the run-up to the presidential election.
“It should also be noted that ECOWAS has planned to send observers, including a parliamentary delegation, to observe the presidential election, I have already given the necessary instructions to that effect.
“I want to stress that we place a great deal of hope in this presidential election, which is expected to enable Guinea Bissau to find a lasting solution to the political crisis it has been facing for many years.”
He said the forthcoming election would usher the people of Guinea-Bissau into a new era of peace and prosperity as well as contribute to political stability at regional level.
Mrs Halima Ahmed, speaking for the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Brou, said that the attacks in the region constitute a threat to stability and integration agenda.
“It is important to highlight that our region is facing some political challenges, especially in Guinea Bissau, which will be organising Presidential election in the next few days.
“The region continues to be confronted with sporadic attacks by terrorists and armed groups, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger which calls for us to redouble our collective efforts, solidarity and cohension”
The presidential election of Guinea Bissau will be held on Nov. 24. (NAN)
November 21, 2019