The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has inaugurated two committees to address longstanding gaps in Ghana’s coordination of activities under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The ECOWAS Community Levy and Finance Committee (CLFC) and the ECOWAS Sector Programme Committee (SPC) are expected to improve coordination among government institutions and other stakeholders and strengthen the implementation of regional programmes.
The Director responsible for the ECOWAS National Office at the Ministry, Ahmed Tijani, said the full operationalisation of the required structures had been slow, affecting stakeholder coordination, reporting and the effective use of opportunities available under ECOWAS programmes.
He urged members of the committees to strengthen collaboration, improve reporting and develop practical recommendations to enhance Ghana’s participation in regional initiatives.
The Ministry’s Chief Director, Ambassador Khadija Idrissu, reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to regional integration, noting that the country had supported ECOWAS initiatives on economic cooperation, the free movement of persons and goods, peace and security, trade facilitation and sustainable development since the bloc’s establishment.
She said the Sector Programme Committee, established in line with the ECOWAS Operational Manual, would coordinate and monitor the implementation of ECOWAS programmes at the national level.
The committee will bring together ministries, departments and agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to review progress, evaluate projects and recommend measures to strengthen regional integration.
Ambassador Idrissu said the committee’s deliberations would also inform the work of the National Consultative Committee on Regional Integration, Ghana’s principal national coordinating mechanism for regional integration matters.
She urged members to participate actively in the committee’s work to ensure that Ghana’s interests are adequately represented within the ECOWAS framework.
The inauguration of the two committees forms part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s institutional engagement with the regional bloc, improve coordination among national stakeholders and enable the country to derive greater benefits from regional integration.
The Ministry expects the structures to support Ghana’s contribution to building a more peaceful and prosperous West African sub-region.
