On Friday, July 12, 2024, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone welcomed Hajj pilgrims and observed the first Juma prayers at State House in Freetown. Chief Imam Shiek Kutubu Konneh delivered a sermon urging pilgrims to act as agents of peace and ambassadors of nation-building by practicing the good deeds they learned in Mecca. He also encouraged support for the government's "Feed Salone" initiative to ensure food sufficiency in the country. Read More »

In a significant event, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., officially launched the Global Fund Grant Cycle 7 (GC7) at Monrovia City Hall. The launch represents a commitment to combat HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, which have posed challenges to Liberia's healthcare system. Read More »

The Blockchain Industry Coordinating Committee of Nigeria (BICCoN) has expressed concerns over the Nigerian government's detention of Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent and current Binance employee. BICCoN issued a statement on June 24 warning that this action could undermine international support for Nigeria. Read More »

Hague, Netherlands – July 16, 2024: Access Bank PLC, sub-Saharan Africa's largest bank by customer base, has entered into a significant partnership with the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO). The agreement involves a syndicate Tier II Facility of USD295 million (approximately N442.5 billion), marking over two decades of collaboration between the institutions. Read More »

On Thursday, July 11, 2024, the Department of Human Development and Social Affairs, through its Directorate of Humanitarian Affairs, organized a workshop in Lomé, Togo, to launch the activities of the ECOWAS support programme for providing functional equipment to disabled children in Togo. The aim of this activity is to assess, together with stakeholders, particularly the Ministry in charge of social inclusion, associations and federations of disabled people and partners, the urgent needs for functional equipment that ECOWAS could acquire and offer to disabled children to... Read More »

The primary and secondary schools on the island will be hosting their annual Open Day next week. All parents, guardians, carers, and members of the public are invited to attend. Read More »

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, has reaffirmed ECOWAS' determination and commitment to strengthening its ongoing partnership with UNIDO, particularly in the areas of industrialization and regional integration. This statement was made on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at the ECOWAS Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria during a meeting with Ms. Fatou Haidara, Deputy Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Managing Director of the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations. Read More »

Recently, the Health and Social Care Portfolio (HSC) issued a letter updating patients identified for overseas medical referral on the status of their referrals. However, some recipients have misunderstood the contents of this letter, leading to miscommunication in the public domain. The HSC aims to address these concerns and provide an update on overseas medical referrals. Read More »

On July 11, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, presented the general report on the state of implementation of the Community’s 2024 work programme to the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, Nigeria. This presentation followed the opening of debates by the President of the Parliament, H.E. Mrs. Memouna-tou Ibrahima, in accordance with Article 32 of the Additional Act relating to the reinforcement of the prerogatives of the ECOWAS Parliament. The act stipulates that “At each ordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament, the President of the Commission shall... Read More »

The Statistics Office has released new estimates of the Retail Price Index (RPI) and the annual inflation rate for the second quarter of 2024. The RPI was measured at 117.3, up from 115.3 in Q2 2023, resulting in an annual inflation rate of 1.8%. This rate remains unchanged from the previous quarter. Read More »

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Receives Letters of Credence From Seven Ambassadors Read More »

In conjunction with the African Union, the ECOWAS Commission is working with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung to advance the cause of youth, peace, and security in West Africa. This collaboration aims to enable young people to understand the Youth for Peace (Y4P) agenda and develop their National Action Plans. Read More »

With the implementation of regional counter-terrorism measures and the need to engage other non-kinetic methods in the fight against violent extremism, the Jam’iyyatu Ansariddeen Attijaniyya, an Islamic organization with a global network, is seeking to collaborate with ECOWAS on organizing a regional conference on security and governance. Read More »

Jason Scharfman, the Chief Compliance Officer of Corgentum Consulting, stated it is "urgent" for the Nigerian government to release Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance employee detained since February, due to Gambaryan's deteriorating health. Scharfman shared his statement in a July 16 post on X after Gambaryan appeared in Nigerian court in a wheelchair. Read More »

State House, Freetown, Thursday 18 July 2024 – His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio addressed the Development Partnership Committee (DEPAC) meeting, reiterating his commitment to global peace and security and making democracy purposeful in the region. He also reminded attendees of Sierra Leone’s forthcoming presidency at the United Nations Security Council from August 2024 to 2025. Read More »

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. of Liberia received Letters of Credence from six Ambassadors at the Executive Mansion on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The presentation signifies recognition of Liberia's leadership in the international community. Read More »

A second meeting of the Police and Crime Panel is scheduled for Wednesday, July 24, 2024, from 14:30 to 16:00. The meeting will be held at the Education Learning Centre in Jamestown. Read More »

The Network of Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will hold its 4th Annual General Meeting from July 16 to 18, 2024, in Banjul, The Gambia. Read More »

On July 15, 2024, the ECOWAS Commission commenced a workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, focused on revising the Supplementary Act on personal data protection and building capacity for data harmonisation and cross-border data flows. The workshop, hosted by the ECOWAS Commission, saw participation from representatives of Member States' ministries responsible for ICT and the digital economy, Data Protection Authorities, the African Union, the European Union, DPSE, and GIZ. Read More »

Since the establishment of the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy (EIMS) in 2014, the operationalization of the ECOWAS Maritime Coordination Centres (EMCCs) across maritime zones E, F, and G, as well as the West Africa Regional Maritime Coordination Centre (CRESMAO), has significantly contributed to reducing piracy and sea robbery incidents in the ECOWAS Maritime Domain (EMD). Despite these successes, the EMCCs face challenges that undermine their efficiency, such as unclear status, staffing issues, and funding constraints. As part of efforts to accelerate proper... Read More »