Chinyere Amalu
25 November 2008
The Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has condemned in totality recent attack on the Residence of the incumbent President Joao Bernardo Vieira by section of Guinea Bissau army.
Also the 6th ECOWAS Development Partner Annual Coordination meeting kicked off yesterday in Abuja, with a call by the Ambassador of France EU Presidency, Jean Michel Dumond on the commission to embark on capacity building and prioritisation of its programmes for effective intervention donor agencies.
Speaking at the opening session of the meeting, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, who frowned at the increase of regional crisis, said, it was with deep sense of indignation that ECOWAS received the news of the attack on the Guinea Bissau President.
He said, "It is even more regrettable that this latest attempt at destabilizing the country comes soon after the successful conduct of legislative elections, part of the continuing efforts by ECOWAS and the international community to address the political and economic challenges that has obstructed the development of the country for so long.
"ECOWAS strongly condemned this action and any other attempt at taking power through unconstitutional means in accordance with the provision of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and good Governance".
He however, reiterated that the Commission will continue to support the democratically elected government, even as he reminded the armed forces and the entire political class of their individual and collective responsibility for any act that may undermine the constitution and threatened the stability of the country.
On what the objective of the meeting, he said the forum was aimed at reviewing the major trends observed in the integration process, and share the major challenges facing the region.
He also appealed for sustained commitment of all stakeholders with a view to promote the welfare of the people of West Africa in consonance with the ECOWAS vision 2020.
Chambas who acknowledged the commitment of the EU and other donor agencies to the integration process of the region, said that EU and ECOWAS on 15 November this year, signed the region's strategic paper under the 10th EDF amounting to a total of 600m.
"The objective of the paper is precisely to support the deepening of the regional integration process, the enhancement of competitiveness and the consolidation of good governance and regional stability", he added.
In his presentation at the meeting Ambassador of France EU Presidency, to Nigeria Jean Michel Dumond, urged ECOWAS to adhere to the EU procedure in the implementation of the European tax payers of 579m from the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) aid to West Africa.
Dumond said, inefficient internal procedure that characterized the 9th EDF that was concluded in 2007 among other reason calls for capacity building of the commission.
He pointed out that ECOWAS Commission presented a long-term vision and the mid-term plan with the capacity building plan where under the coordination of the Presidency of the EU, other donors would support the regional integration.
"Our support for the integration process was to be on the basis of the document that we have seen as the benchmark for our cooperation. What has been done one year after the presentation, in spite of the efforts made, Vision 2020 even though adopted since 2007, is not yet complete and the plan that makes up the Vision need to be fine-tuned.
"We hope that the unit for specific planning and monetary evaluation will allow for the completion of the document to take place because as partners we need it to be able to provide the support".
He however reminded ECOWAS that it was the European tax payer's money that is in contention as he registered the EU disapproval of the handling of the 258m of the 9th EDF.
"The 9th EDF was marred by "poor programming of activities because there were no efficient internal procedures demonstrated by ECOWAS that was acceptable to donors and the fact that it did not master the EDF procedures. And this has led to poor handling of the implementation.
"Therefore there must be an effort meant to convince ECOWAS procedures and to understand and implement the EDF procedure where they are necessary. ECOWAS therefore must continue to operate the institution.
"This commitment is necessary to look at because we are talking about the money of the European taxpayers who will hold us accountable. This considerable financial resource that must be used within the spirit of partnership" Dumond stressed.
The EU Envoy therefore, reiterated its commitment to the sub-regions political and economic integration as a way of positioning the region for the globalizing new world order
"It will focus on economic integration and the upgrading of regional competitiveness to the tune of 419m, working hand-in-hand with the implementation of the EPA which we feel is the main instrument serving the regional integration. We hope and that you will take ownership of this while respecting the rule that we have a role together" he said.
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