Accra - Ghana — The ECOWAS Commission and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Member States have agreed to develop a systematic policy coordination framework that will help govern the operations of ECOWAS structures and departments in their relations with Community citizens through the CSOs.

Participant at a three-day meeting that ended on Friday, 27th August, 2010 agreed that such a mechanism will further strengthen the ECOWAS - Civil Society relations and thereby boost the ongoing efforts towards the achievement of the ECOWAS Vision 2020. The participants, who were drawn from civil society organisations that operate within the priority thematic areas identified in the ECOWAS Vision 2020, urged the Commission to commission consultants who will undertake a comprehensive study on ECOWAS-CSOs interfacing and provide a framework for progress. While opening the meeting, the President of the ECOWAS Commission Ambassador James Victor Gbeho had noted that the emergence of myriads of civil society organisations in the region poses a great challenge to the Commission. He therefore suggested the establishment of a logical platform for capturing the perspective of citizens in regional pogrammes.

The President, who was represented by the Director of Gender, Youth Development and Civil Society Organisations, Dr. Sintiki Ugbe commended CSOs for their efforts towards the strengthening of democratic processes, human rights, social justice, equitable economic opportunities, good governance, and other areas of human development interests. The opening ceremony was chaired by the Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on relations with Civil Society, Honorable Chineme Ume-Ezoke with the Acting Head of the ECOWAS Division of the Nigerian Foreign Affiars, Mr. Olaniyan Safiu in attendance.