Abidjan - Cote d'Ivoire — The 13th meeting of the ECOWAS Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) is due to meet on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 June 2013 in Abidjan, followed by the 70th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st June 2013 at the same venue.
The AFC meeting will mainly consider the state of progress of the tasks assigned to the various Community Institutions, the 2012 report of the Financial Controller, as well as the Tenders Code and the revised Manual of Procedures. The Agenda of the Abidjan meeting will also include the preparations for the 40th ECOWAS Anniversary celebration in 2015 and the consideration of the Memorandum on the proposed enhancement of Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament.
The 70th Session of the Council of Ministers also scheduled for the Ivorian economic capital immediately after the AFC Meeting will consider, among others, the report of the 13th ECOWAS AFC meeting . The Ministers of Finance and Integration of the ECOWAS Member States will equally consider the 2013 Interim Report of the President of the Commission, Mr. Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo.
They will further consider, for decision, the state of progress of the tasks assigned to the Commission at their last session as well as the report of the Financial Controller on the 2012 Financial Year, the report of the Audit Committee and, the draft Agenda of the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Several other items for endorsement are on the Agenda of the Ministers, particularly the report of the Ministers of Finance on the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET), the state of play of the EPA negotiations and the report on the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority.
Council is also due to consider the reports of the Ministers of Labour, Employment and Social Affairs, the Ministers of Infrastructure, Transport, ICT and Water Resources, as well as the report on the conclusions of the 10th meeting of the Ministers of Energy.
Lastly, it will further examine documents such as the Memorandum on the regulatory texts relating to the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), the report of the Ministers of Security and the Memorandum of the President of the Commission on the expansion of the Commission from nine to fifteen Commissioners.