MONITORING EU-ECOWAS REGIONAL COOPERATION

ECOWAS and the European Union organise their monthly Coordination meeting at the ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja.

Within the framework of monthly programmes monitoring meetings, the ECOWAS Commission received the European Union delegation in Nigeria, at its premises in Abuja on 23 August 2022.

The main objective of this bilateral meeting is to review key ongoing programmes as well as those identified under the new EU funding instrument.

The meeting was attended by the Head of Cooperation of the European Union in Nigeria, Ms Cécile Tassin-Pfizer accompanied by her collaborators, in particular the Deputy Head of Delegation and Head of Political Section, the Head of the finance, contracts and audit, project managers, as well as ECOWAS staff, in particular the Director of External Relations (Session Chairman) and Directors in charge of Peacekeeping and Regional Security; Energy and Mines; Humanitarian and Social Affairs; Political Affairs; Finance/Financial Reporting and Donations; and Transport.

Several items on the agenda were the subject of intensive discussions, in particular those relating to the activities planned under the New Instrument for Cooperation of the European Union (NDICI), the Annual Action Plan (PAA) 2022 and 2023, Blue Economy, Stabilization, Peace and Security, Climate Change, Human Development and Gender Issues.

During the exchanges, the two parties expressed current concerns related to democratic and security challenges, and indicated the need to continue the programmes already underway in these areas.

In the field of Climate Change, the parties shared the same points of view relating to the strengthening of actions to the definition of joint action plans in order to face the various climate challenges of the West African Region.

The issue of human development captured the attention the EU and ECOWAS, which agreed to finalize the action plan initiated in this area and which should help in the formulation of relevant projects to be initiated in this area.

Within the framework of Institutional Support to ECOWAS, the Directors present at the meeting indicated the need to maintain the Support Cell for the Regional Authorising Officer (RAO Support Cell) which

provides essential and necessary assistance for the validation of the EU pillars by ECOWAS, hence the importance of finding the necessary support for the sustainability of its operation.