ECOWAS, a regional organization funded by member states and various development partners, has emphasized the need for accountability in fund management. To enhance transparency and ensure compliance with international best practices, ECOWAS is working towards managing development partners' funds directly.
A workshop organized by the Directorate of Financial Reporting and Grants of the ECOWAS Commission was held in Lome, Togo. The event aimed to improve the capacity for efficient grant operations within ECOWAS institutions and agencies. This included enhancing compliance with grant agreements and reducing ineligible expenditures.
Mr. Ahmadou Oury Balde, Director of Financial Reporting and Grants, welcomed participants to this inaugural workshop on the donor reporting system. He stated that the goal was to share experiences and challenges related to donor reporting systems and establish a common approach for all ECOWAS institutions and agencies. "The purpose of this workshop is to share experiences and challenges in Donor reporting system," he said.
Prof. Nazifi Abudllahi Darma, Commissioner of Internal Service, also addressed attendees at the opening ceremony. He highlighted that this meeting was crucial for synchronizing accounts across all external funds management units within ECOWAS. "This workshop was the first Coordination meeting of all External Funds Management units from all Institutions," he noted.
Both officials underscored the importance of strict compliance with agreements to attract more funding from development partners. Prof. Darma stressed that communication with these partners is vital for sustaining fund inflows: "He advised that communication and reporting system to the Development Partners is sacrosanct."
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