Japan Donates 60,000 U.S.$ to Support Ecowas Drug Programme in Guinea

29 March 2011
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Economic Community of West African States (Abuja)
press release

Abuja - Nigeria — The Government of Japan has presented a cheque for $60,000 U.S.$ to enable ECOWAS strengthen the operational capacity of Guinea's Inter- Ministerial Drug Coordinating Committee which has responsibility for the country's campaign against illicit drugs in the region.

Specifically, the fund will facilitate the committee's role in the coordination and implementation of the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan and the accompanying Political Declaration on the Prevention of Drug Abuse, Illicit Drug Trafficking and Organized Crimes in West Africa, which were adopted by regional Heads of State and Government in December 2008. The cheque was presented by the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr. Toshitsugu Uesawa to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency James Victor Gbeho at the Commisions's headquarters in Abuja on Monday, 28th March 2011.

At the brief, the President thanked the Government of Japan for its continued support to West Africa, noting that this particular support was "targeted to a project which is very dear to the heart of the people of West Africa", pledging that it would be used judiciously for the purpose it was meant for. He described drug trafficking as a cancer which with devastating effect on the people of the region and expressed the hope that "the assistance would boost the effort of our Guinean counterparts in combating drug trafficking". He used the opportunity to commiserate with the Government and people of Japan over the tragic loss of lives and property caused by the recent earthquake and the subsequent tsunami and expressed the solidarity of ECOWAS with the Government and people of Japan. A minute's silence was observed in honour of those who died in the disaster.

Responding, Ambassador Uesawa expressed appreciation to ECOWAS for its support, adding: "With your support and that of the international community, Japan will surely overcome". He said that in spite of the huge tragedy, "our commitment to work with Africa is unshakeable". He reiterated Japan's desire to continue its collaboration with ECOWAS, which he said has "huge potentials".

Japan has contributed some 5.7 million U.S.$ to ECOWAS regional projects. This includes assistance for ECOWAS Small Arms Control Programme (ECOSAP) based in Bamako, Mali with a coordinating unit in Abuja as well as assistance for regional capacity building of ECOWAS citizens and institutions on the Proliferation and Control of Small Arms and Light weapons at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra, Ghana.

Read the original article on Ecowas.

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