The Nigerian permanent representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Emmanuel Olawale, has urged governments in West Africa to create a favourable environment for ECOWAS' programmes, projects, and activities. He made this appeal at the public presentation of a book titled "In Solidarity with ECOWAS" in Abuja. Olawale highlighted ECOWAS' efforts to ensure cooperation among West African countries, including the protocol on free movement, residence, and establishment. This protocol enables individuals to move freely across member states.
Olawale cited examples of ECOWAS' initiatives, such as the ECOWAS Passport and Paraplegic Identity Card, which support social movement. He also mentioned the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor and the ECOWAS Coastal Road, which are currently under construction. These projects aim to enhance regional connectivity and facilitate the movement of people and goods. Olawale acknowledged challenges facing the region, including language barriers, and called for the inclusion of French in English-speaking countries' school curricula.
The High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria and permanent representative to ECOWAS, Julius Sandy, stressed the need to build a West Africa where borders connect rather than divide. He emphasized that citizens should be able to travel with dignity across member states. Sandy noted that the freedom of West Africans to move, connect, and trade across the region is no longer a distant aspiration but a development imperative.
Sandy highlighted the challenges facing ECOWAS, including mass human movement driven by environmental disasters, conflict, and funding and institutional weaknesses. He emphasized that the operations of ECOWAS are largely hindered by financial constraints. Despite these challenges, Sandy reiterated the importance of building a borderless West Africa where citizens can move freely.
Olawale also acknowledged the challenges facing ECOWAS, including language barriers and currency issues. He noted that ECOWAS has introduced the ECOWAS single currency, which aims to use 'ECO' as the single currency for all West Africa. This initiative aims to simplify trade and economic transactions across the region.
The Nigerian representative also called for national governments to provide conditions favourable for ECOWAS' programmes, activities, and projects to thrive in their countries. He emphasized that ECOWAS is making efforts to promote regional integration but needs the support of national governments to succeed.
The event, which featured the presentation of the book "In Solidarity with ECOWAS", was attended by various stakeholders, including government officials and representatives of civil society organizations. The book, written by Bishir Dauda Katsina, explores the importance of solidarity and cooperation in promoting regional integration in West Africa.
Key points
- ECOWAS aims to create a borderless West Africa where citizens can move freely across member states.
- The organization faces challenges, including language barriers, funding constraints, and institutional weaknesses.
- National governments are urged to provide favourable conditions for ECOWAS' programmes, activities, and projects to thrive.
