The activities initiated by Cape Verde to commemorate African Union Week on 25 May and ECOWAS Day on 28 May ended on 29 May 2012, in Praia, the country’s capital, with presentation of papers on regional integration.
The first presentation on ECOWAS programmes and activities was made by Mr Liberor Doscof Aho, Head of Internal Communication in the ECOWAS Commission. The speaker gave the history of the organisation and highlighted the developments that have taken place, particularly the Revision of the Treaty establishing ECOWAS on 24 July 1993 in Cotonou, Bénin Republic and its transformation from the Executive Secretariat to a Commission in 2006.
Mr Aho also elaborated on the objectives, fundamental principles, projects and programmes, achievements, prospects as well as ECOWAS Vision 2020, including the major challenges that need to be addressed by the organisation. The challenges, he pointed out, are as follows: sustainable development, industrialization of the sub- region, poverty eradication, food security, consolidation of democracy and good governance as well as regional peace and security.
The second paper was on the energy situation in the region with particular reference to renewable energy in West Africa. This was presented by Mr David Vilar, Resident Coordinator of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, based in Praia, Cape Verde. The speaker presented the energy outlook of the ECOWAS Member States, including the various obstacles to the development of renewable energy in the sub-region which, he pointed out, are technical, economic, financial, legal and institutional.
The third paper was presented by Mr Belarmino Monteiro Silva, Head of ECOWAS Unit in Cape Verde, who highlighted regional integration-related issues such as the Community Development Programme (CDP) and ECOWAS projects and programmes earmarked for Cape Verde.E
He also mentioned regional negotiation matters in view of the signature of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between ECOWAS and the European Union, the single currency, and free movement of persons and goods within the Community.
The fourth and last presentation focused on the role communication plays in regional integration building. The presentation was made by Mr. Liberor Doscof Aho, officer responsible for internal communication at the ECOWAS Commission. In his presentation, Mr. Aho outlined the communication tools and media put in place by the ECOWAS Communication Directorate to ensure greater visibility and clarity of the Organization’s actions, programmes and achievements for West African citizens.
Concerning the communication tools and media, he referred, among others, to the ECOWAS Website, the television documentaries and the awareness campaigns carried out in the Member States, the information brochures and newsletters, as well as the media coverage of Heads of State and Government Summits by West African and foreign media.
The discussions and Q & A that ensued after the presentations gave the participants a clearer understanding various features of regional integration. Lamenting the inadequate information and communication on ECOWAS programmes and attainments in the Member States, the participants underpinned the inadequate information provided to Cape Verdians regarding the programmes and achievements, particularly the staff recruitment processes in the various institutions of the Organization, which they get to know about only after the closing date for the submission of applications. They also advocated a more appropriate use of the Portuguese language in the ECOWAS Institutions.
The ECOWAS and Africa Week was held from 21 to 29 May 2012 with the aim of improving the information and awareness of the people of Cape Verde on the regional integration programmes and projects implemented by ECOWAS, which most Community citizens know little about, or are totally unaware of.
