By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
The Dr. Omar Alieu Touray led ECOWAS Commission and the ECOWAS Bank for investment and development, EBID, have agreed to expand cooperation and explore areas of mutual interest for the prosperity of the people of the sub-region.
EBID, formed in 1975 but started operations in 1979 with a mission to supporting the developmental projects and programmes of Member States, came calling on the President of the ECOWAS Commission at his office at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria on a working visit to strengthen collaboration.
The group led by the President of EBID, Dr. George Agyekum Nana Donkor, congratulated the President of ECOWAS Commission on his successful inauguration and assured him of EBID’s support for his tenure.
The EBID President said the new leadership of ECOWAS came at a time when the sub-region is facing numerous economic and security challenges but given the public service record and diplomatic antecedent of the new President, the sub-region will surely overcome these challenges.
Responding, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Touray thanked the EBID management for the visit and support for the new administration, saying that the new mantra “ECOWAS of the People” was created to deliver shared prosperity for the people of the sub-region which will be achieved through the four core strategies of the new ECOWAS Commission namely poverty reduction, economic integration, good governance and due process.
He said that to achieve the strategies, there is a need to build deep collaboration and strong institutions with the right resources and processes and solicited the support of EBID to make the objectives a reality during his tenure.
The meeting later progressed to a working session with the management of the Commission led by the Vice President, Madame Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, who welcomed the EBID management and reiterated the commitment of the Commisssion to expanding relationships with them.
The President of EBID, on his part, shared the organizational structure and history of the bank while focusing on the recent achievements in terms of projects and operations across Member States.
The meeting further delved into a closed door session where issues of mutual interest were discussed including payment of capital subscription by Member States, interest subsidy funds, status of cyber security grant, status of EU Pillar Implementation, Joint Resource Mobilization Strategy, Revitalization of the Permanent Committee for Studies and Research and Management of ECOWAS Staff Pension Funds.
The meeting concluded with a resolve from both parties to engage further on mutual issues towards achieving stronger ties.
