The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has pledged its commitment to the ideals of cooperating with the rest of the world towards meeting the African Development Agenda.

The president of the ECOWAS Commission Kadre Desire Ouedraogo gave the pledge at the 15^th International Economic Forum on Africa, which held on 9 September 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

The forum examined critical issues of development, which included the African Development Agenda, climate change and agricultural development on the continent as well as the issue of whether regional development can yield demographic dividend for Africa.

While in Germany, president Ouedraogo conferred with some eminent personalities. These included the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs – Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, his Economic Cooperation and Development counterpart – Dr. Gerd MÏ‹ller, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of the German-African Business Association – Mr. Christoph Kannengießer.

The ECOWAS Commission president was accompanied by the Acting Director of Multilateral Surveillance, Dr. Nelson Magbagbeola, and two aides Messrs Boureima Ouédraogo and Ismael Diaouari.

The Forum, which theme was Africa Beyond 2015, premised on Africa Agenda 2063 as adopted by the African Union, had been organized by the Federal Republic of Germany in conjunction with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).