The meeting aims to bring together stakeholders to provide an update on the implementation of ECOWAS programmes and projects to ensure effective collaboration in the regional integration process and strengthen the ECOWAS programmes at the national level. The Committee also serve as a platform for the ECOWAS National Office to get updates for more effective execution of its mandate as the link between the ECOWAS Commission and The Gambia while making the coordination, facilitation, and monitoring of ECOWAS projects, programmes, and activities at the national level more efficient.
In her opening statement, Ndey Tabara Touray, the director of Regional Integration at the Ministry of Trade, stated that SPC is an activity under "Regional integration programmes and these programmes are pivotal for fostering economic growth, enhancing cooperation, and promoting stability within regions. She added that the Sector-Programme Committee, in particular, plays a crucial role in addressing the unique needs of various sectors and ensuring that integration efforts translate into tangible benefits for all stakeholders involved.”
According to her, the Sector-Programme Committee often focuses on key Sectors such as Health, Education, Agriculture, Energy, Technology, Standards, Immigration, Police, NDMA, Competition, Trade Facilitations Early Warning, Trade, and Gender among others. “By targeting these areas, we can leverage regional resources and expertise to stimulate economic growth,” she noted.
Director Touray affirmed that this two-day meeting was not only about informing us on what sectors are doing, it is also about building their capacities and sharing knowledge. SPC, she went on, allows them to facilitate training, provide technical or financial assistance, and knowledge exchange among stakeholders as well as address common challenges. She added that it also helps them in terms of monitoring and evaluation to ensure that ECOWAS activities and programmes achieve their intended outcomes, as they are necessary for regular assessment that helps in identifying success, challenges, and areas of implementation for adjustment and refinement that enhance the overall effectiveness of integration efforts.
She described SPC as a vital component of their Regional Integration Strategies; by addressing the unique needs of various sectors and fostering cooperation across borders as these programmes contribute significantly to economic development, stability, and prosperity in the country and the region. Therefore, she said, their continued commitments to their various integration programmes and projects at their ministries, departments, and agencies, will ensure that regional integration delivers lasting benefits for The Gambia and member states within ECOWAS.
