Accra: As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) initiates its year-long Golden Jubilee Celebration, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, has highlighted the significant achievements of the regional bloc. Speaking at the ECOWAS@50 Anniversary launch in Accra, Dr. Touray emphasized the need to celebrate, reflect, and recalibrate the community's objectives during this milestone.
According to Ghana News Agency, the launch event was hosted by President John Dramani Mahama and attended by prominent figures such as Liberian President Joseph Boakai, Togolese Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah Dogb©, Mr. Muhammad B. S. Jallow, Vice President of The Gambia, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and representatives from all 12 ECOWAS member countries. The event, themed 'Stronger Together for a Brighter Future,' marks the beginning of activities across each member state to embody ECOWAS's ideals.
Dr. Touray addressed skepticism about ECOWAS's achievements by asserting that the bloc is the most integrated community in Africa, citing the free movement protocol that allows visa-free travel, residence, and establishment rights for ECOWAS citizens. This protocol distinguishes ECOWAS from other regions where such freedoms are not available, even to prominent entrepreneurs like Nigerian businessman Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
Further highlighting ECOWAS's accomplishments, Dr. Touray mentioned the effective trade liberalization scheme, which has registered over 15,000 companies benefiting from preferential treatment for more than 50,000 products. The Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) is operational in seven countries, streamlining regional trade alongside the ECOWAS Common External Tariff.
In terms of infrastructure, ECOWAS has developed a 25-year master plan for regional projects spanning transport, energy, telecommunications, and water resources, with an estimated cost of $131 billion. Notable projects include the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway and the Abidjan-Praya Corridor Highway, both significant economic corridors with substantial investment potential.
Dr. Touray also discussed ECOWAS's regional energy and infrastructure initiatives, such as the West African Power Pool and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Access Project, which aim to enhance electricity connectivity across the region. The ECOWAS Regional Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority (ERERA) in Ghana regulates cross-border electricity exchanges, complemented by the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project.
The socio-economic development programmes of ECOWAS include initiatives in digital integration, rural regulatory frameworks, health, education, food security, and climate-smart agriculture. Dr. Touray emphasized that these efforts, alongside ECOWAS's peacekeeping roles in countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia, underscore the bloc's commitment to peace and security.
Dr. Touray concluded that ECOWAS's achievements in fostering regional integration, economic development, and peace are significant reasons to celebrate its 50th anniversary, despite challenges and skepticism.