A thorough review of the prevailing issues bothering the West African Sub-region in a bid to proffering lasting solutions will dominate discussions at the 87th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zunairu Zada, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the opening of ECOWAS Council of Ministers’ forum in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Dada said that the Council of Ministers meeting remains an important platform to discuss and review thematic issues in the region and advice ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments accordingly.
He added that the meeting is also expected to adopt guidelines, protocols and revised draft supplementary act on the community levy, Customs Union, among other critical issues.
Dada urged the management of ECOWAS to continue to work towards the implementation of policies, guidelines, projects and programmes that are meant to improve the effectiveness of the organization.
He also tasked ECOWAS Institutions on prudent management of community resources in order to achieve the fundamental objectives of the supra-national organisation.
Chairperson, ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Shirley Botchwey, urged member States to build resilience against terrorism, health crisis, climate change as a deliberate Strategy to advance regional integration in the West African sub-region.
Botchwey who is also Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said
2021 has been particularly busy at the regional level, with several Extraordinary Councils of Ministers and Summits.
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This, she explained, was an indication that the sub-region is faced with challenges which all organs and institutions of the community is working assiduously, with concerted efforts to address.
Botchwey further said by working together on all the issues confronting the region, the prospects for success are significantly enhanced and would create the conditions for a thriving region.
( Editor: Omor Bazuaye)
