Abuja, 24^th April 2019. The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Sweden have jointly endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Global Forest Transformation for People and Climate in West Africa, on the 24^th of April 2019, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The Global Forest Transformation for People and Climate in West Africa is for the period 2019-2023. The MoU was signed on behalf of ECOWAS by the Commission’s President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou while the Swedish Charge d’Affairs to ECOWAS, Nigeria and Ghana, Stafan Tillander underwrote the document on behalf of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

President Brou noted that the joint initiative comes handy in taking concrete steps towards strengthening the cooperation between Sweden and the ECOWAS Commission while working together for the actualisation of set goals.

Thanking the government of Sweden for the continuous support it is giving to the ECOWAS Commission, President Brou noted that he would like to build on that with a courtesy visit to the Swedish International Development Agency at the opportune time to “reaffirm the ECOWAS-Swedish cooperation”

Responding, Mr. Tillander who was accompanied by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Swedish Embassy in Nigeria Madam Ida Hockerfelt, stressed the importance of working with the ECOWAS Commission on very germane issues like climate change and the protection of the environment. He added that the Swedish government will like to get on further with the existing collaboration.

The Global Forest Transformation for People and Climate project aims to strengthen the implementation of the convergence plan for the sustainable management and utilisation of forest ecosystems in West Africa.

It is billed to be carried out in accordance with the terms and conditions agreed between Sweden and the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

Sweden and ECOWAS are also expected to cooperate in the implementation of the project while participating in annual consultations with FAO as described in the contribution agreement.