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West Africa: Yar'Adua, Ecowas Leaders Meet Today Over High Food, Oil Prices
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Daily Trust (Abuja)
23 June 2008
Posted to the web 23 June 2008
Idris Ahmed
In response to the current food crises and high oil prices all over the world, Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and other Heads of State and Government of Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) are meeting today to discuss ways forward.
Topping the agenda of the summit will be the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Common Market in the region, ECOWAS's spokesperson, Uwem Thomson said at the weekend in Abuja.
Current food crises and high oil price have increased the level of poverty especially in the African countries, thereby posing threats to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
ECOWAS's spokesperson, Uwem Thompson said: "The one-day Summit will also consider the reports and recommendations of the May 6, 2008 extraordinary meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture, Finance and Trade on the twin challenges.
"It will further consider the report of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, which will reflect the status of implementation of regional programmes, particularly those on the free movement of persons and goods, right of establishment and residence."
Other agenda expected to dominate discussion at the summit include the assessment of the security situation in West Africa and efforts to consolidate democratic governance in the region.
Elections are scheduled to hold in five of the member-states this year such as Cote d'Ivoire , Ghana , Guinea , Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone.
By June 25 and 26, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has scheduled an international conference in Tunis, Tunisia on the revitalisation of African agriculture.
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The AfDB said on Sunday that the conference will assess the current performance of African agriculture, emerging challenges, and new opportunities in the sector, and also identify ways in which African agriculture can improve food security, contribute to sustainable and equitable growth and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on the African continent.
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