Abuja, 13 November 2017. The Vice President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Edward Singhatey, highlighted the key import of the institutional reform embarked upon by the West African organisation several years back.

In his welcome address at the opening ceremony of the 22^nd meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) of ECOWAS, in Abuja Nigeria on Monday 13 November 2017, he recalled the Heads of State’s endorsement of a new proposed structure for the Commission and all ECOWAS Institutions, effective the first quarter of 2018.

“It is of utmost importance therefore to maintain an objective stance and a singular focus on the future of the Community in the consideration of issues to be presented and subsequent formulation of the meeting’s recommendations”, he stated.

On institutional reform, Mr. Singhatey noted that the consultants’ task was on the verge of completion; and that 2018 would witness the institution of the new management structure across most of the Community Institutions.

The reforms alone will not bring about the desired objective of raising the standard of living of the region’s people without the backing of adequately funded programmes, he opined, and consequently reminded Member States of their statutory obligation to ECOWAS particularly in the payment of outstanding Community Levy.

In the same vein, the AFC Chair, Ambassador Kadangha Bariki Edawe Limbiye of Togo, whose country is currently the Chair of the ECOWAS Authority, urged Member States to honour their Community Levy commitments.

“May I remind us that the Community Levy remains the primary source of ECOWAS revenue, making up about 95% of the organisation’s total revenue”, he indicated.

“You would agree with me then on the obligation of each Member State to honour such commitments not forgetting the outstanding payments”, Mr. Limbiye added.

He seized the opportunity to urge delegates to engage in a careful, balanced and insightful consideration of documents to be presented, in order to proffer clearer direction for the West African Community in its transition from an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of People.

This 22^nd AFC meeting will consider a number of documents, reports, memoranda for information and discussion.

The delegates will examine, among others, the status of tasks assigned to Community Institutions, the financial situation of the regional organisation, and the detailed organogram of the ECOWAS Commission.

The meeting will equally discuss the Monitoring and Evaluation Report on Programme Implementation of Community Institutions from January to September 2017, and the memorandum on the implementation of the ECOWAS Programme on Countering Violent Extremism in Nigeria, Niger, and Mali.

Other issues such as the implementation of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme and validation of their living allowances, the West African Youth Empowerment Initiative, and the 2018 draft budget (consolidated) of Community Institutions, also feature on the meeting agenda.

The agenda items for information only, include the ECOWAS Community Financial Controller’s 2017 mid-year report.

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