SEVENTY-THIRD ORDINARY SESSION OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)
Abuja, 9 – 11 December 2014
OPENING ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY MR KADRE DESIRE OUEDRAOGO, PRESIDENT OF THE ECOWAS COMMISSION
(Abuja, 9 December 2014)
Your Excellency the Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers,
Honourable Ministers and Heads of delegation,
Distinguished Heads of ECOWAS Institutions,
Distinguished Vice-President,
Distinguished Commissioners,
Eminent Representatives of Regional and International Organisations,
Excellencies Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like, on behalf of all participants from the other Member States, to start by expressing to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, , our sincere gratitude for the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded us. Our emotions are unmitigated, despite all the graces and courtesies we have been receiving in this country which hosts the headquarters of our organisation..
We further wish to express our gratitude and warm felicitations for the excellent arrangements made by the Nigerian Government for the successful conduct of our deliberations. I am convinced that these measures will make it easy for us to attain the expected results. I remain even more optimistic as the Council Chair has always successfully managed to steer the deliberations of this body by coupling her concern for efficiency with her capacity for consensus building.
Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegation,
This session, the last for the year 2014, will afford me singular honour and great pleasure of presenting my Report for the current year, as well as deliver a report on the tasks you assigned the Commission at your 72nd ordinary session. Thinking ahead of these privileged opportunities to reflect together on the functioning of our Community and, particularly, to receive your wise guidance, I feel proud to be at the service of our Member States in pursuing the noble intentions they have for our people.
In truth, my pride in leading the ECOWAS Commission has been further strengthened these past months, having realized that with the Heads of State and Government of our Community, solidarity transcends the mere expression of sympathy. Our Heads of State and Government do not consider solidarity as mere provision of comfort in challenging times, which already constitutes a lot, they consider solidarity as being equally, and above all, active support and the effective sharing of sacrifice.
Such was the case in the fight against the Ebola virus disease, during which the actions taken at national level were, and continue to be, coordinated with the other Member States and in perfect synergy with regional initiatives which, in addition to the adoption and operationalization of the mechanisms aimed at pooling human and logistical resources, include the provision of funds to the worst affected countries. I commend this sacrifice, albeit heavy at times, made by each one for the benefit of all, including at personal level, as in the case of the various personnel involved in the struggle.
With respect to the political situation in Burkina Faso, no-one can ignore the immediate mobilization of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government led by the current Chairman, H.E Mr. John Dramani Mahama.
Their personal involvement enabled the International Community to provide support for the transition set up in the wake of the events of 30 and 31 October 2014.
I avail myself of this opportunity to commend the significant contribution of the UN-AU-ECOWAS joint mission that arrived in the country on 30th October at the request of the current Chair of the ECOWAS Authority. Permit me to allude to the extremely vital role played by the current President of the AU, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, and her Special Envoy in providing support for the process
I would also like to thank the United Nations Secretary General for the support provided particularly through his Special Representative in West Africa, Dr. Ibn Chambas.
Distinguished Chairperson,
Honourable Ministers
Permit me to pay tribute to the different facets of Burkina Faso society as well as its political class and security and armed forces for the high-level of maturity displayed over the past weeks. I equally extend hearty congratulations to H.E Mr. Michel Kafando on his new role as President of Faso as well as my encouragement to the transition authorities. I can assure them of our firm determination to render our assistance in the important mission of guiding the country towards the general elections in November 2015.
Concerning Guinea Bissau, I would like to emphasize that on the basis of the decisions made by the Heads of State and Government at the 20th May 2014 Extraordinary Summit, the Community has continued to provide support to the courageous and intelligent efforts deployed by the Guinea Bissau Government towards establishing the country’s newfound peace and stability while placing it on the path of harmonious development. .
This support focuses on the initiation of the various requisite reforms as well as the preparation for the Donors’ Round Table, whose success I presume would be considered by all our Heads of State and Government as a challenge to each one of them, a challenge they are determined to overcome together.
Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegation,
The admirable manner in which the solidarity between the Member States manifested in the circumstances I have just referred to, has not only heightened the pride I have for our Community, but has equally fortified my trust in our capacity to ensure that our Community, already perceived as a model in Africa, meets the constantly-increasing expectations of our people. Indeed, thanks to the shared commitment of the Heads of State of the countries concerned, we have, since your last session, once again made significant strides towards effective free movement.
This betokens the construction of the joint border post between Ghana and Togo - which has been completed - and the commencement of the construction on the joint border post between Benin and Nigeria. What is more, all necessary steps have been taken to ensure that the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) effectively comes into force on 1st January 2015, in consonance with the decision of the Extraordinary Summit of October 2013. This new milestone will enable us turn our Community into a customs union. In that regard, a meeting of the ECOWAS-UEMOA Joint CET Management Committee was convened in Accra from 24 to 26 November 2014, followed on 27 November 2014 by a meeting of Finance Ministers and Directors-General of Customs of the 15 ECOWAS Member States..
Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegation,
The year 2015, which we are about to inaugurate with the coming into force of a Common External Tariff for the 15 ECOWAS Member States, will equally mark the 40th Anniversary of ECOWAS. This epitomizes its entire symbolic importance. We therefore plan to celebrate it with events that will culminate in the anniversary on 28 May 2015. I hasten to point out, however, that while celebrating the 40th ECOWAS Anniversary with great moments of joy and unity, we intend to avail ourselves of the occasion to raise awareness, particularly for the youths of all Member States on the objectives and attainments of our organization.
We will do this by paying tribute to the founding-fathers and all those who, in the pursuit of their dream, have contributed to our success story today. We will equally plan activities we consider will enable the Community accelerate and make sure that West Africa’s march towards its effective integration becomes irreversible. In other words, we intend to make the 40th anniversary celebration a watershed in the history of ECOWAS, and I am convinced we can count on the support of all Member States.
Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegation,
I hope the consideration of the reports of the Financial Controller, the Audit Committee and the Administration and Finance Committee, as well as the Consultants’ Report on institutional reform, which are included on the agenda, will enable you evaluate the efforts we are making to ensure, with determination and moderation, the proper functioning of the Community institutions.
I avail myself of this opportunity, however, to reassure you that we are determined to continue doing better. This is the meaning that must be given to the letters of engagement I issued the Commissioners earlier this year, assigning priority objectives to them in the execution of their respective budgets and requesting them to do the same with the programme officers under their authority. This practice will be sustained in 2015.
Similarly, further efforts will be made in the coming year to improve the status of the Community Levy lodgement, taking due account of the fact that success will depend, in large part, on strict adherence to the provisions of the relevant Protocol by the Member States. I sincerely hope you will take decisions that will enable us attain our goals.
Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegation,
With this hope, I express my ardent desire for this Council session to be successful beyond all your expectations.
Long live ECOWAS!
Thanks for your kind attention.
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