A delegation from the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) is conducting a study mission to the Directorate of External Relations of ECOWAS, specifically with the ECOWAS Development Partners Coordination Unit (EDPCC), from June 10 to 13, 2024. This initiative aims to enhance cooperation between ECOWAS and UEMOA by sharing experiences and best practices in coordinating and implementing programs financed with external resources. Read More »

His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of the Republic of Senegal has concluded a day-long working visit to Sierra Leone, meeting with President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, First Lady Fatima Bio, and other government officials at the Presidency in Freetown. Read More »

Experts from various ministries of the economy, finance, social affairs, culture, and the private sector are convening in Cotonou, Benin, from June 12 to 13, 2024. This meeting is part of the process to establish the West African Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC-WA). Initiated by the ECOWAS Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, the aim is to examine and validate structures and processes proposed for making this platform operational. Read More »

In the framework of the implementation of the ECOWAS Quality Policy (ECOQUAL), the ECOWAS Commission held a meeting of Experts of Ministries in charge of Industry to consider draft standards and instruments to ensure quality, reduce technical barriers to trade, and facilitate access to markets at regional, continental, and international levels. Read More »

Port Control recently completed a comprehensive training program to enhance safety and efficiency in crane operations at the port. This initiative follows an internal audit and underscores SHG’s commitment to ensuring the safe and reliable handling of critical cargo supplies. Read More »

On Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at the Idriss Déby ITNO Auditorium of the University of Abomey-Calavi, the ECOWAS Representation in Benin organized a public speaking competition to commemorate the 49th anniversary of ECOWAS. The event was themed "Strengthening Regional Unity, Peace and Security" and aimed to foster community citizenship among young people through constructive analysis of ECOWAS's achievements and challenges. Read More »

Ambassador Amadou DIONGUE, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Benin, received Mrs. Aminatou SAR, the newly accredited Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in the Republic of Benin, on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Read More »

His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia, has nominated additional members to the Government, impacting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA). Read More »

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has initiated the 2024 Country Resilience and Human Security Assessment in Ghana as of June 10, 2024. This effort is part of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) Project, supported by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and GIZ. The initiative aims to enhance human security and resilience in the West African sub-region. Read More »

The Directorate of Customs Union and Taxation of the ECOWAS Commission organized a meeting on the New ECOWAS Transit Procedure from June 10 to 13, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria. The meeting aimed to review the implementation of the Abidjan roadmap and assess the progress of the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) in member states. Additionally, participants examined the draft transit manual of procedures. Read More »

State House, Freetown, Wednesday 12 June 2024 – His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has received a booklet containing the report, which includes the facts, findings, and recommendations from the Tribunal to investigate the former Auditor-General, Mrs. Lara Taylor-Pearce and Deputy Auditor-General, Tamba Momoh. Read More »

St Helena’s air service, operated by Airlink, runs a scheduled weekly service between Johannesburg and St Helena, along with a monthly inter-island service with Ascension Island. In November 2023, the St Helena Government (SHG) announced mid-week flights for the 2024-25 peak season on Tuesdays from Johannesburg and reintroduced Saturday flights from Cape Town. Read More »

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Day was commemorated in The Gambia on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. The event marked the 49th anniversary of the regional organization and gathered government officials, diplomats, civil society representatives, and citizens to reflect on ECOWAS's achievements and future prospects. Read More »

An expert group meeting for the establishment of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council in West Africa (ECOSOCC-WA) is scheduled to take place between June 12 and 13, 2024, in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. Participants at the two-day meeting are expected to review and strengthen the draft foundational framework document that resulted from two previous consultative meetings held ahead of this convergence. Read More »

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Amb. Abdel-Fatah Musah, represented by Dr. Abdourahmane Dieng, Permanent Secretary of WAPCCO, emphasized the critical need for regional police chiefs to adapt and collaborate in addressing complex security challenges during the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO) technical sub-committee meeting held on June 6 in Abuja, Nigeria. Read More »

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission launched the National Platform for the ECOWAS Cross-Border Cooperation Support Programme 2023–2027 on June 10, 2024, in Praia, Cabo Verde. Read More »

President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone received the combined 2023 Annual and Elections Reports from Mohamed Konneh, Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chairman of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), reiterating that no presidential elections will be held until 2028 as per legal stipulations. Read More »

In honor of World Blood Donor Day on Friday, June 14, 2024, the Health Laboratory team is hosting a blood donation clinic. Individuals are invited to drop in anytime between 9:00 and 16:00 to learn more about blood donation or to donate blood. Read More »

Dakar, June 10, 2024 – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marked its 49th anniversary today with a significant joint activity held at the King Fahd Hôtel in Dakar. Organized by the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and the ECOWAS Gender and Development Centre (CCDG), with participation from the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), this year’s celebration centered around the theme: “Strengthening Regional Unity, Peace, and Security.” Read More »

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has advocated for the promotion of multilateralism at the United Nations (UN). The ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb Abdel-Fatau Musah, presented these initiatives during the ECOWAS @ 49 high-level event held on June 7, 2024, at the UN headquarters in New York. Read More »