Participants at the 3-Day extended technical Workshop for the finalisation of the West African Festival of Arts and Culture (ECOFEST) have validated the proposed roadmap of the event on the 12th of October 2018, in Abuja, Nigeria.

After a review and enrichment of the project proposals, participants also decided that all stakeholders should ensure the “political reportage” of the event at the highest level of the two institutions collaborating to berth the festival- the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).

In this regard, the ECOWAS and UEMOA Institutions have now set up a Regional Organization Committee (ROC) to coordinate the activities of ECOFEST 2019. The committee will also determine its attributions, composition and mode of operation.

Participants were agreed on the launch of ECOFEST with effective communication and befitting sideline events, ceremonies, artistic and traditional performances, visual arts, competitions, exhibitions, panels, popular animations and thematic fashion shows.

Urging those charged to proceed, as soon as possible, to name the host country of the event and the diligent execution of the parcel bill, they stressed the need to ensure that “appropriations are entered in the ECOWAS and UEMOA 2019 Budget for the implementation of the ECOFEST activity in 2019”

Other recommendations made by the participants included those on the invitation of Member States to support the initiative and make voluntary contributions for the timely holding of the event.
Also recommended is the implementation of specific lightened procedures for the financial management of the ECOFEST.

With regard to the financing component, the meeting recommended using the expertise of the relevant ECOWAS-UEMOA technical services to work out details of the identified aspects.

Declaring the Workshop closed, the chair of session and ECOWAS Commission’s commissioner for Education, Science and Culture Professor Leopoldo Amado, took notice of the results achieved at the workshop and thanked the participants for their expertise, foresight and enriching contributions.

Stating that he was impressed by the cultural policy and elated because of the accomplishments so far, the Commissioner however warned participants on the need to have an idea of threats and challenges as well as a reasonable budget in order to fully take charge of ECOFEST.

Participants at the Workshop were drawn from a pool of resource persons and experts in the organization of cultural events from Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Niger, representatives of the Directorate of Culture and Tourism of the UEMOA Commission and ECOWAS Commission’s Departments of Finance, General Audit, Legal Affairs, External Relations, Communication, Gender and Humanitarian Affairs, Industry and Private Sector, Education, Science and Culture.

The collaboration by the Commissions of ECOWAS and UEMOA to organize ECOFEST is within the framework of their Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS). It stems from a decision of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, through the Protocol A / P.1 / 87, establishing the Cultural Framework Agreement between the ECOWAS Member States.

The joint effort is considered a major landmark for the visibility of the cultural expressions of the region.