Making a presentation at the handover ceremony which took place at the ECOWAS’ Commission headquarters, Dr. Magbagbeola stated that being a subset of the AU, ECOWAS must continue to live up to its billing as the most advanced Regional Economic Community (REC) on the continent.

The presentation centered on the overview of the workings of the AU, its institutions and organs as well as flagship programmes. It also laid bare, the ECOWAS’ engagement with the senior leadership of the AU Commission, the legal bases of the AU-RECs relationships as well as the mandate of the RECs-RMs liaison offices to the AU.

The presentation also touched on the achievements of the ECOWAS Representation to the AU including respect for diplomacy and international culture, challenges as well as recommendations.

Receiving the document, Mr. Ake Pierre N’Guessan noted that although a lot of work has been put in by the Permanent Representation, more needs to be done. Soliciting for the support of all, he pledged to do his best to justify the confidence reposed in him by the President of the ECOWAS Commission.

The Auditor-General of the ECOWAS Institutions Dr. Alfred Braimah, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Human Resources Dr. Jeremias Furtado as well as the Director of Cabinet N’dri Guillaume Gnamien who were among the senior officials at the ceremony congratulated the new Permanent Representative and assured him of the cooperation of the Commission in the discharge of his duties.