ECOWAS convergence seeks to inaugurate two regional committees

The meeting, being held from 27 November to 1st December 2023 in Banjul was organised by the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC).

The meeting brings together representatives from the ECOWAS Commission, ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies, ECOWAS National Offices in The Gambia and Senegal, Civil Society Organisations working on education and entrepreneurship, and experts in the field of education and private sector operations.

The mandate of the two regional committees is to, among other tasks, examine and select projects submitted on two flagship programs of the EGDC; (i) Program on Support to Brilliant but Needy Girls and Boys Specialised Technical and Vocational Education through the award of Scholarships of Excellence, and (ii) Program on Technical and Financial Support to Women engaged in the Processing of Agricultural, Marine and Handicraft Pl products in ECOWAS member States.

During the next four days, the participants would validate project proposals submitted by beneficiary member States of the two programs for 2023.

In his Keynote address at the opening of the meeting, the Chief of Staff of the Office of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Honorable Abdou Kolley, said that the workshop demonstrated the political will and commitment of the ECOWAS Commission to promote women and girl’s empowerment in the ECOWAS region.  Mr. Kolley reminded participants that the ECOWAS region is currently characterised by widespread gender inequalities affecting access by women and girls to education, health, the labour market and land resources amongst other things. These inequalities, he said, have serious repercussions on the effectiveness of International and regional commitments signed and ratified by ECOWAS member States. Mr. Kolley further pointed out that in a bid to improve the contribution of women towards regional integration and development efforts, ECOWAS has adopted policy frameworks and institutional mechanisms to ensure effective and efficient management of gender equality and empowerment programs in member States.  He therefore called on participants to continue to facilitate women access to quality training and the provision of credit at low interest rates as well as capacity building programs in the area of entrepreneurship.

The address of the Director of the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, Mrs. Sandra Oulaté Fattoh, was read on her behalf by Mrs. Salimata Thiam, Principal Program Office, Gender of the EGDC. On behalf of the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, Mrs. Oulaté expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the member States, ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies, CSO and experts for responding positively to the invitation to take part in the meeting. She outlined the objectives of the meeting and highlighted the rationale and mandate of the two committees that were going to be set up to examine the projects submitted by member States on the two flagships programs of the EGDC. She expressed the commitment of the EGDC to continue to work very closely with member States in the implementation of the Centre’s programs.

The ceremony was also attended by a representative of the ECOWAS National Office in the Gambia, Mrs. Ndeye Tabara Touray.

The opening ceremony was chaired by Mrs. Salimata Thiam, Principal Program Officer, Gender, at the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre.