Abuja: The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is currently facing integration challenges and seeks to address them by strengthening unity, solidarity, and fraternity within the bloc.
Dr Omar Touray, President of the commission, expressed the fear and plan of action at the 37th ordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) held at the commission’s headquarters on Sunday in Abuja.
The AFC’s crucial meeting was held to evaluate the mid-term implementation of the decisions, programmes, projects, and activities of ECOWAS institutions.
Represented by ECOWAS Vice President, Mrs. Damtien Tchintchibidja, Touray said the mid-term implementation of the programmes and activities of the community’s institutions aimed at evaluating ECOWAS’ difficult financial situation.
He said the meeting would also examine how to minimise the negative effects of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger’s withdrawal from ECOWAS and preserve the gains of 50 years of integration.
The president said the AFC session would also update member states on the progress made in recruiting within the commission’s institutions.
“As you know, our organisation is currently going through an existential crisis, and in such circumstances, we must sit down together and pose and examine the problems and challenges facing us.
“Our organisation is at a crossroads, and this calls for a strong capacity to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of integration and to project ourselves into the future.
“But beyond all that, we must be aware and recognise that our strength lies in unity, solidarity and fraternity, moving forward together on the road to development, in peace and stability,” he said.
Touray said one lesson from ECOWAS’ recent fiftieth anniversary and Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger withdrawal was the need to speed up institutional, organisational, political, and security reforms.
