Abuja, 13^th July 2017. The ECOWAS Commission has restated commitment to cooperation with the European nations of Italy and Germany within its international collaboration framework.

The President of the Commission Mr. Marcel de Souza gave the commitment on the 12^th of July 2017 in Abuja while playing host to the Italian ambassador to Nigeria and the ECOWAS Fulvio Rustico and his German counterpart Bernhard Schlagheck.

He told the envoys at separate meetings, that the ECOWAS Commission will remain faithful to the implementation of all the aided programmes currently running, in conjunction with the development partners and will continue to sustain the momentum of cooperation in an enduring manner.

Ambassador Schlagheck was at the Commission to discuss issues relating to the ECOWAS-German conference as a follow up to the Oslo meeting over which a consultative group is being set up.

He also conferred with President de Souza on the idea of setting up a joint working group between ECOWAS and Germany regarding German assistance to ECOWAS.

They also discussed the outcome of the 51^st ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government meeting in Monrovia, Liberia in June 2017 as well as the ongoing reforms embarked upon by ECOWAS to engender efficiency among others.

On his part, the out-going Italian ambassador Rustico sued for the strengthening of cooperation between his country and ECOWAS with specific reference to mining, peace and security as well as development.