Monrovia, 2^nd May 2018. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission President, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou and the Liberia Foreign Affairs Minister, Gbehzohngar Milton Findley have signed the headquarters agreement for the regional organisation’s radio in Monrovia.

A ceremony to mark the signing of the agreement was held on Tuesday, 1^st May 2018 in the Liberian capital.

The headquarters agreement documents were officially signed by Jean-Claude Kassi Brou on behalf of ECOWAS Commission and Gbehzohngar Milton Findley on behalf of the Liberian government.

Mr Brou, while responding to the questions raised by journalists during the press conference which held after the signing ceremony, stated that the ECOWAS Radio will contribute to regional integration and economic development of the Community.

“We need to make the ECOWAS Radio a powerful instrument to convey information to West African citizens in order to promote regional integration; peace; free movement of persons, goods and services; gender as well as the consolidation of democracy and good governance”, he stated.

He announced a forthcoming ECOWAS Information Ministers meeting, in which the support of every Member State will be sought to sustain the Community Radio.

For his part, the Liberian Foreign Affairs Minister Gbehzohngar Milton Findley welcomed the transfer of the Radio to ECOWAS by the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which was permanently withdrawn from Liberia in March 2018.

“This Radio will contribute to the education of West African people and enable Member States to exchange information among themselves in the three ECOWAS official languages, namely English, French and Portuguese. It will also promote cultural identity and the development of West African”, Mr Findley said.

The Liberian President, George Manneh Weah, while receiving the ECOWAS Commission President just before the signing of the headquarters agreement, urged the regional organisation to make the radio a viable means of information, education and sensitisation of West African people on matters relating to integration, peace, security, regional stability and development of the Community.

“I am convinced that this powerful medium of communication will enable ECOWAS have greater impact on its citizens, particularly at the grassroots”, stated the Liberian President.

It will be recalled that on 23 March 2018, UNMIL transferred its Radio to ECOWAS during a ceremony in Monrovia, which was presided over by President George Manneh Weah.

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