Your Excellency, President Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, and Chairman of Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS
Your Excellencies, Fellow Heads of State of ECOWAS
Honourable Ministers
President of the ECOWAS Commission
President of the African Union Commission
Statutory Appointees of ECOWAS Institutions,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Invited Guests,
Members of the Press, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my singular honour and privilege, on behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to welcome you all to this landmark occasion of the celebration of the Fortieth Anniversary of the founding of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
2. As we all know, ECOWAS was founded on 28 May 1975 with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, in Lagos, Nigeria. Established topromote cooperation and integration, as well as economic growth and development in West Africa, the Community is today, despite challenges and setbacks, acclaimed as a model organisation. It is therefore with emotion and good memories that I extend to you all, deep from the heart, warm and hearty congratulations.
3. Allow me to salute the vision, wisdom as well as courage and resolve of the founding fathers for giving us ECOWAS that has over the years evolved to become a leading regional economic community in Africa. I also pay tribute to all successive regional leaders including those present here today, for carrying the flag high and transforming the organisation to what it is today.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
4. This occasion provides us all stakeholders, the opportunity to reflect on the progress so far made towards achieving the objectives of ECOWAS over the past 40 years, the challenges confronting our Community and the way forward to fast tracking deeper integration. Records and the reality on the ground indicate that considerable progress has been achieved. We have gone beyond the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods, realizing incrementally the harmonisation of trade and our customs codes.
5. The achievement of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff and Trade Liberalisation Scheme is a vital sign post in the Convergence Criteria required for our Common Currency regime. Our people can now reside in and freely move from one country to another in our region without the stress of visas, thanks to the Protocol on Free Movement that was signed in 1979; and the region’s infrastructure deficit has been substantially reduced.
6. These and many other achievements are clear indication of the community’s resolve to shift emphasis to economic integration, while still keeping focus on peace and security, another area where tremendous achievements were also recorded. It would be recalled that ECOWAS demonstrated commitment and leadership in the successful resolution of the crises in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, and Guinea-Bissau.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
7. However, as I observed yesterday, we have a lot more work to do. We need to fast track the integration process, and the most effective way to do so is through accelerated and focused investments in key development sectors including but not limited to energy, transportation, as well as road and rail networks. We should therefore push existing initiatives and adopt new ones. Insufficient power supply has been identified as a major obstacle to investments in the region.
8. As we make individual efforts to boost power supply in our respective countries, we should accelerate the implementation of critical infrastructure such as the West African gas pipeline project, while remaining committed to the promotion of alternative and renewable energy sources. Urgent steps need to be taken to encourage intra - regional trade among member states in order to boost employment generation and trade relations.
9. On the consequences of climate change, we must continue to coordinate our actions with the other African countries including through the African Union, in working with the rest of the world to reduce global warming without compromising our industrial development drive.
10. Similarly, our region continues to be confronted with the daunting scourge of transnational organized crime including arms trafficking, drug trafficking, as well as piracy and criminality at sea. Equally worrying is the rising scourge of violent extremism and terrorism. All this constitute serious threats to peace and security in the region, and therefore require sustained focus and concerted actions.
11. We must continue to enhance our system of governance and, working with our partners, accelerate the implementation of our joint initiatives and mechanisms that were created to address these daunting but not insurmountable risks. We must enhance cooperation with other regional and continental organisations such as the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), and the African Union particularly in the fight against violent extremism, terrorism and piracy.
12. As we celebrate today, let us not forget that beyond politics, the economic integration of our region must remain the fundamental objective of this Organisation. We need to accelerate our efforts towards achieving monetary union by meeting the convergence criteria while member–states should strive to key into the Common External Tariff, which came into being this year.
13. Internally, within the Commission and other institutions of the Community, there is an urgent need for structural reforms and capacity building in order to enhance efficiency, improve transparency and build confidence. Accountability and doing more with less should be the hallmark of the ECOWAS Commission. The ECOWAS Parliament needs to be empowered to make laws rather than operating as an advisory body, while the ECOWAS Court of Justice should be strengthened to enable it deliver on its mandate.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
14. Once again welcome and congratulations. I wish the entire Community further successes and a prosperous future.
15. I thank you all.
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