The two-day Ministerial Meeting considered some memoranda and the security situation of the region.
The ECOWAS Member States that are set to benefit from the 2023 special allocation are Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo.
During the opening ceremony, the ECOWAS Commission, through the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC), donated the sum of USD 1,960,000 to some Member States: $245,000 per each receiving Member State to improve care for women and girls suffering from obstetric fistula.
The programme has three components, namely: prevention through awareness creation and information; medical care through reconstructive surgery; and socio-economic reintegration of rehabilitated women. This is the famous 3R triptych: Repair, Reinstate and Restore.
Declaring the two-day Ministers Meeting closed, His Excellency Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON, the chairman of Council and the Minister of foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, underscored the pivotal role of democracy in fostering development in West Africa, drawing on Nigeria's historical transition from military to democratic governance. He highlighted the transformative power of democratic principles in driving progress and prosperity within nations.
Ambassador Tuggar emphasised the progress achieved in the common market and regional integration programmes. He highlighted advancements in the introduction of a single currency programme, further strengthening economic ties and fostering harmonisation within the ECOWAS community.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss several important matters, such as the region's initiatives to combat money laundering and the importance of upholding democratic governance. These discussions will greatly contribute to the advancement of the ECOWAS Community.
This session precedes the 64th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 10, 2023, in Abuja, Nigeria.
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