The ECOWAS Day is commemorated annually on 28 May, since it was founded on 28 May 1975.
The celebration was organised by ECOWAS Citizens in the Gambia (ECOCIG) together with ECOWAS Ambassadors Solidarity Forum in the Gambia (EASOFIG).
The overall aim of the meeting was for the new Resident Representative of ECOWAS Permanent Mission The Gambia Miss Miatta Lily French, to familiarise with the ECOWAS Citizenry in the country and to strengthen relations between them for maintenance of peace, security in The Gambia and the broader ECOWAS sub-region.
Speaking at the ceremony, the ECOWAS Resident Representative and Head of ECOWAS Mission in Gambia, Ambassador Miatta Lily French, called for peace to attain the economic gains the community strives for.
“The reason ECOWAS was founded, it’s even in the name, Economic Community of West African States. But if you ask most people about ECOWAS, what they know about ECOWAS is peacekeeping, peace enforcement, a little bit about election observation and very little else.
“But we need to go back and put the E back in ECOWAS and we can only do that if there is peace.”
She further stressed that the biggest challenge for President Dr. Omar Touray led ECOWAS Commission is to bring peace and stability to the region so the citizens can focus on economic activities.
Thus, the President of ECOWAS Citizens in The Gambia, Michelle Kuivohui, expressed delight for the gathering as he also called for peace and unity.
He highlighted on the significance of the meeting saying it is to strengthen unity, peace and security in West Africa and particularly in The Gambia.
There are about quarter of a million non-Gambian ECOWAS Citizens in The Gambia which include businessmen, teachers, doctors, servicemen and a host of others and they have expressed thankfulness to The Gambia and her people.
Notwithstanding, a status report of ECOWAS citizens in the Gambia revealed a number of challenges they go through in the country
Key among them includes the increment of permit from D1950 to D3650 this year.
Another challenge is the lack of embassies or chargé d'affaires for some of them.
