Strengthen efforts to economic integration - Hannah Tetteh urges ECOWAS

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Hannah Tetteh, has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to strengthen its efforts to promote regional economic integration and harmonise trade policies.

She said if that was done, it would lead to the establishment of an economic union in the sub-region, improve the lives of people and enhance economic stability in the region.

Ms Tetteh made the call at the 74th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States in Accra yesterday.

The two-day meeting of the Council of Ministers of ECOWAS will, among others, review the status of the implementation of the “Community levy protocol and consider the status report on the Economic Partnership Agreement between West Africa and the European Union”.

Ms Tetteh urged ECOWAS members to take steps to maintain and enhance economic stability, foster relations among member states and contribute to the development of the continent, as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of the sub-regional body.

She also appealed to the Council of Ministers of ECOWAS to consider the liquidity constraints at the community level as well as financial challenges in the member states. 

Commendation

The Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Toga Gayewea Mcintosh, commended Nigerians, particularly the out-going President, Goodluck Jonathan, for their peaceful elections.

He appealed to ECOWAS members, particularly Burkina Faso, Cote d’ Ivoire and Guinea, to emulate the good example of Nigeria and ensure that their upcoming elections were peaceful.

He said the ECOWAS Commission would support the three countries to ensure that their elections were conducted peacefully. 

Liberia’s feat

Mr Mcintosh commended Liberia for chalking up success in the fight against the Ebola disease and promised that the Commission would not relent its efforts to get the disease eradicated from the sub-region.

He said the Commission had initiated moves to mobilise the needed support for the three countries most affected by Ebola to enable them to overcome its harmful economic and social repercussions on their development programmes and the lives of their people.