The Federal Government has said that,
the Aim of the workshop, was to articulate the views of various stakeholders on the impact of ECOWAS Vision 2020, as well as the expectations of the people of Nigeria, with regards to the formulations of the ECOWAS Vision 2050 document. the new Vision 2050 will reflect the interests of Nigeria.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, made this known to newsmen on Thursday August 20, 2020 at a Consultative Workshop of ECOWAS Post 2020 Vision in Abuja.
He stated that , December 2020 deadline of the ECOWAS Vision 2020 approaches, and response to the many persistent challenges facing the region becomes imperative, the ECOWAS has established a road map to come up with a post 2020 Vision for the sub region.
“Under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), the region has eliminated over 95 percent of trade barriers along the border of member states. Presently, Nigeria has over 2,400 companies, with over 6,900 products under the scheme. Nigeria alone accounts for 60-70 percent of the products under ETLS. He said.
“The region facilitated peaceful and democratic change of governments in The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra-Leone, Togo, Senegal and Mali (before Mali’s current crisis).He revealed.
He added that among the achievements recorded by the region in that past years include; Positive developments in several West African Countries including continued efforts being made to carry out political, constitutional and security sector reforms to improve good governance and democracy,sector reforms to improve good governance and democracy.
Talking about border management and free movement of persons, goods and services, the Minister stressed that the region, in collaboration with the development partners, has successfully established the following Joint Border Posts to facilitate intra-regional economic trade and enhance seamless border formalities.
The Border Posts include: Seme-Krake Joint Border Post between Nigeria and Benin, Hillacondju/sanveecondgi between Togo and Benin, Noepe-Akanu between Togo and Ghana, Noe-Elubo between Ghana and Cote Ivoire, Kouremale between Guinea and Mali as wells as Malaville between Benin and Niger.
In the same vein, Halima Ahmed, Commissioner for Finance, ECOWAS Commission, disclosed that the workshop is to create an avenue to enhance regional trade by increasing the percentage of inter community trade among member countries.
Concerning the political crisis ravaging the region, the commissioner, who represented the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Findar Koroma, said the region has put lot energy and resources quelling crisis because without peace there cannot have development.
She stated that the regional bloc is trying to address that by laying emphasis on security, political stability and good governance so t
hat trade issues will be properly attended to.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Olusola Idowu, who was represented by David Taiwo Adeosun, Director Macroeconomic Analysis Department of the Ministry of Finance budget and National Planning said the consultations are to ensure that the post-2020 Vision reflects the needs and aspirations of the citizenry.
“It will also bring together a Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) forum to gather their views, experience, opinions and share ideas on the three fundamental areas, namely; Achievement of ECOWAS during the implementation of the ECOWAS Vision 2020; New development challenges in the region and the need to be addressed in the post 2020 Vision Blueprint; and Long Term aspirations for the region defining the “West Africa we want to see” in the next 25 years to 50 years. Adeosun said.
” The national consultation are designed to: collate the perception of the people on the process of regional integration and the contribution of ECOWAS for the benefit of the population and sub-regional development. She added.
” The post 2020 vision envisaged more regional integration and development where “infrastructure will not be a problem, where trade among member countries would be carried out with much ease, where citizens can move from one country to another and they will feel at home, and where poverty will be a thing of the past and where standard of living will improve. He said. (Outlook media).
