ECOWAS, World Bank agree cooperation roadmap on aviation, energy others

ECOWAS and World Bank officials ended a two-day high-level meeting in Abuja last Friday, September 28, 2012 with an agreement on wide-ranging issues including how to revitalize and deepen cooperation for accelerated regional development and integration.

A communiqué issued by ECOWAS said they both at the meeting agreed to identify large high impact integrative projects in agriculture, food security, energy, and regional public goods for medium-term financing.

During the working session, ECOWAS Vice President Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh presented ECOWAS’ Priority programmes and projects while Madam Elizabeth Lule, World Bank’s Programme Manager, Regional Integration, presented the Bank’s Implementation Action.

Both sides also agreed to prepare a Joint Position Paper by June 30, 2013 on how to improve air transportation in the region, reduce if not eliminate barriers to intra-Community trade on food staples, and harmonize investment climate reforms.

According to the communiqué, the World Bank and ECOWAS also agreed on the need for the complete implementation of a set of ageing projects and to accelerate start up of new projects, with an annual review of regional projects.

The Bank is supporting ECOWAS through the Implementation Action Plan of the Regional Integration Assistance Strategy (RIAS) anchored on three pillars – development of regional infrastructure, institutional cooperation for economic integration and coordinated intervention to private regional public goods.

By Ekow Quandzie

1 Comment
  1. JJ says

    Stop borrowing from the world Bank and depend on your resources, hardwork and Ghana should stop accumulating debts for 55yrs if you cannot get it right then something is wrong with these leaders who seem still have slave mentality, handholding, ignorant, greed, corrupt.

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