Abuja - Nigeria — The 9th Annual Coordination meeting between ECOWAS and its Development Partners will take place on Monday, 8th April 2013 at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, to discuss the status of the region's integration projects and the ongoing efforts at institutional reforms in order to improve the performance of the Commission.

The meeting will also specifically discuss the Commission's priorities, highlighting the programmes for deepening the integration process. It will also enable the partners to reaffirm their renewed commitment to the various areas of ECOWAS intervention and strengthen the existing coordination mechanisms, particularly through the adoption of operational procedures.

Furthermore, it will provide an opportunity to shed light on the vision of the new management who will be participating in the coordination meeting for the first time and secure partner's buy-in. The international community has been deeply involved in resolving the security and political crises that rocked Guinea Bissau and Mali through support for ECOWAS' response strategies.

Their involvement has specifically helped in the consolidation of peace, security, democracy and respect for human rights, the creation of a common market, the enhancement of regional competitiveness, infrastructural development and food security, as well as partnership consolidation.