ECOWAS parliament celebrates 25 years of service in 7 member states
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has commenced celebrations for its 25 years of service by inaugurating a commemorative programme across seven members-states.
The speaker of the ECOWAS parliament, Hadja Ibrahima, made the announcement during a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
The ECOWAS member-states include Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cape Verde, Togo and Sierra Leone.
Ibrahima, who was represented by the Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Research at the ECOWAS Parliament, Mr Kabeer Garba, said that the programme was scheduled to hold from January to November.
According to her, the parliament has worked to advance democratic consolidation, regional trade, women’s inclusion and youth participation.
“Rather than organising a single ceremonial event, we have designed a strategic, multi-country programme to showcase tangible impact and bring the parliament closer to its citizens,” she said.
She recalled that the parliament was formally established on Nov. 16, 2000 in Bamako, Mali.
She said that the year-long programme was designed to increase public awareness of the institution and its role in promoting democracy and regional integration.
“Our greatest strength as an ECOWAS institution is the fact that we represent the people of the West African region.
“We provide a voice for the people and defend their interests, but we cannot achieve this without bringing the people along and ensuring they understand the programmes available within ECOWAS,” Ibrahima said.
According to her, many citizens are still unaware of opportunities provided by regional initiatives such as the ECOWAS free movement protocol and the ECOWAS trade liberalisation scheme.
She said that the sustained public engagement was necessary to ensure that citizens and businesses take advantage of the programmes.
She also said that the aecretary-general of ECOWAS parliament would coordinate the implementation with authorised partners: Duchess N. Limited, CMD Tourism & Trade Enterprise and Borderless Trade & Investment.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Duchess Naturals Limited, Victoria Akai, said that the activities would complement efforts by the parliament to deepen economic cooperation and public awareness within the sub-region.
She said that the private sector was honoured to support the anniversary programme marking the milestone of the parliament, which was established to give the people of West Africa a voice in the regional integration process.
According to her, ECOWAS was founded on May 28, 1975 through the Treaty of Lagos, to promote economic integration, cooperation and self-reliance among member states.
Akai said that ECOWAS parliament had, over the past 25 years, played a significant role in strengthening democratic governance and advancing regional cooperation.
“At the centre of this effort is the ECOWAS parliament, which has worked to involve the people of West Africa in the integration process.
“As private sector partners committed to regional economic development, we are proud to support the parliament in delivering a year-long programme of activities across several member states,” she said.
Akai said that the programme would focus on key priorities, including regional trade and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) development, women’s economic empowerment, youth innovation, civic engagement and cultural heritage.
The Managing Partner of Borderless Trade and Investment, Olori Boye-Ajayi, said that the anniversary activities would take place across several places.
Boye-Ajayi said that the programme would bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, innovators, youths and civil society groups to deepen regional collaboration.
She said that activities would include business-to-business forums, pilot trade corridor initiatives, youth innovation competitions and civic awareness campaigns across the region.
“Young innovators will take centre stage through the ECOWAS smart challenge, where national competitions will spark ideas and entrepreneurship, culminating in a regional finale in Accra,” Boye-Ajayi said.
She said that the cultural festivals celebrating fashion, film, literature, music and food would also highlight the shared identity and diversity of West Africa.
Boye-Ajayi said that the programme would culminate in a closing ceremony in Abuja in November, featuring a gala evening and reflections on the future of regional integration.
Also speaking, the Head of Global Trade and Structured Finance at Providus Bank, Mr Biodun Ariyo, said that trade remained a key driver of economic growth and regional cooperation.
Ariyo said that the bank was proud to support the initiative, stronger networks and collaboration across borders would enhance trade and economic opportunities for businesses within the region.
He said that the platform would also enable financial institutions to expand access to trade financing and strengthen cross-border business relationships.
