CSOs to brainstorm on ECOWAS Community Development Programme

Representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) of West Africa will participate in a four-day workshop, from Monday 25thth to Thursday 28th July 2011, at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Banjul.  

During the programme, participants will finalize their contribution in the formulation process of the regional Community Development Programme (CDP) of ECOWAS, and to ensure ownership of the programme.

The Banjul meeting is a follow up of the first phase of a series of sectoral and thematic consultations, and a synthesis workshop held last year.

The West African civil societies aim to present a clear and precise content of their contributions in  the ECOWAS/CDP formulation and implementation process.

The CDP is an initiative set up by the ECOWAS Commission to transform into reality the ECOWAS “Vision 2020” launched at the 32th session of the summit of heads of state and government in June 2007.  

It aims at transforming the community from an “ECOWAS of States” into an “ECOWAS of People” by 2020.

The ECOWAS Commission has decided to make the formulation of this regional development programme a participative and inclusive process in which all stakeholders will have an important role to play.

This includes the ECOWAS Commission, sister institutions in the region, member states, regional organizations and civil society organizations, as well as private sector and research and development partners operating in the region.