Abuja, April 1, 2022 – ECOWAS organized a technical workshop for the formulation of first Community Strategic Framework (CSF) of ECOWAS Vision 2050. The five-day workshop holding at the ECOWAS Training Centre, Asokoro, Abuja from 28th March to 1st April 2022 was a follow up to a retreat of ECOWAS Committee of Directors which was held in Assinie, Cote d’Ivoire in February 2022. The main objective of the technical workshop is to identify and develop key component of the CSF and its implementation results measurement tools.

In her opening speech, the Vice President, ECOWAS Commission, H.E Finda E. M. Koroma, ably represented by the Director, Education, Science and Technology, Professor Abdoulaye Issaka Maga, welcomed all participants to the technical workshop and expressed gratitude to the organizers for their hard work and commitment towards expediting the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2050. While thanking GIZ and UNECA for their technical and financial support, she stated that the ECOWAS Vision 2050 would serve as the developmental blueprint for the region over the next thirty years. She added that “in order to translate the vision into reality, it is important that we do not only collectively develop the Community Strategic Framework of the ECOWAS Vision 2050, but also give careful thought to its implementation”. Further, she noted that ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has commenced the process with the  recruitment of Development Solutions Institute (DSI) to support ECOWAS in the development of the First Community Strategic Framework (CSF) of the Vision 2050 and highlighted the importance of this exercise in our next planning phase, and as such, advocated for a highly participatory and inclusive approach during the workshop in order to achieve the stated objectives,

The Director of West Africa Office of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Mrs Ngone Diop who was represented by Mr. Mamoudou Sebego, thanked ECOWAS management for their leadership on the development of the Vision 2050 and the ongoing development of the CSF, specially the commitment of ECOWAS Vice President. He also recognized the technical coordination and contributions of the ECOWAS Committee of Director (CoD) since the development of the Vision 2050 and commended DSI for the work done so far on the draft CSF. He added that following the achievement of the two first activities of the CSF roadmap, notably the pre-consultation and the training on RBM, the ongoing technical workshop is a crucial phase in the development of the CSF because the inputs from the workshop will inform the drafting of the preliminary version of the First CSF of Vision 2050. He concluded by reiterating the commitment and availability of UNECA to continue its support to ECOWAS while wishing participants successful deliberation.

The workshop thereby dissolves into breakout sessions and plenary discussions on different pillar components and results measurement tools including the identification of projects and programmes for the framework. At the end of the workshop, participants reviewed and adopted the recommended inputs on each pillar which will form part of the draft Community Strategic Framework (CSF) document.