By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
The Dr. Omar Alieu Touray led ECOWAS Commission has reiterated its resolve to partner with the Permanent Representatives of the regional body for faster achievement of community goals.
The President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Touray, gave the assurance at his first meeting with the ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) comprising Ambassadors of All Member States in Abuja, at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in the Capital City.
He commended the ambassadors for their great contributions to ECOWAS over the years, adding that community goals cannot be achieved without cooperating with the Permanent Representatives which was why they are one of the levels at which the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) operates.
According to him, the Authority of Heads of States and Government had in July 2020 adopted the Supplementary Act which charged Permanent Representatives with greater responsibilities beyond consideration of matters of sub-regional peace and security.
President Touray gave the theme of his management as “Towards Shared Prosperity” and promised to undertake streamlined initiatives that will deepen integration, strengthen peace and security, promote sustainable productivity and inclusive development, entrench good governance and foster equitable partnerships.
He stressed the importance of building stronger institutions which would include careful re-evaluation and implementation of institutional reforms that have long been planned but remained uncompleted, hence the decision to consider the PRC as an advisory organ of the Council as directed by the Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, will be given priority.
The Chair of the ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Committee, (PRC), João Ribeiro Butiam Co, the Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, represented by the Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia, Professor Al-Hassan Conteh, appreciated the ECOWAS leadership and said that PRC is looking forward to working with them and reaffirmed their willingness to collaborate on the challenges of implementing institutional reforms and achieving political stability in the sub-region.
He reminded the President of the decision of the Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers to set up a committee of Member States to consider the modalities of establishing the PRC as an advisory organ of the Council and advocated that there be a retreat this year between the new ECOWAS management and the PRC as recommended by the last PRC retreat held in Lagos.
