The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Plan International Inc, a non-profit organisation registered in the State of New York, United States of America, signed a Memorandum of Understanding  On y 21 November 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria, to promote and strengthen their cooperation to better protect children and young people,  particularly girls and young women, through the promotion of their rights in all development sectors and humanitarian contexts common to both organisations.

As part of the MOU, ECOWAS, represented by H.E. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Commission, and Plan International Inc. represented by Alassan Senghore, Regional Director for West and Central Africa, officially agreed to formalise the partnership and strengthen cooperation on issues relating to the protection and promotion of the rights of children and young people, and to establish a platform for dialogue and consultation for the promotion and implementation of the rights of women, young people and children in West Africa.

The ceremony was attended by Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Mr. Abdou KOLLEY, Director of Cabinet of the President of the Commission and Mr. Jérôme BOA, Director of External Relations at the ECOWAS Commission.

They also decided to work together towards the implementation of joint frameworks, instruments and policies developed and to work together to promote an approach based on the rights of women and children in their various programmes, and undertook to make every effort to help ECOWAS Member States and regional institutions to put in place effective national child protection systems, including policies, legislation, allocation of resources, etc.

In addition to the areas listed above, the MOU will cover the following areas of impact: (i) Early Childhood Development; (ii) Inclusive Quality Education; (iii) Girls, Boys and Youth as Active Drivers of Change; (iv) Skills and Opportunities for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship; (v) Protection from Violence; (vi) Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and (vii) Humanitarian Response.

Meanwhile, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Omar Alieu TOURAY on Thursday 21 November 2024, in Abuja, received in audience, Dr. Maliki Osman, Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs of Singapore on visit to Nigeria. The two officials exchanged views and laid the foundations for cooperation and sharing experience in the fields of Education and Capacity training, the fight against insecurity, religious extremism and terrorism, as well as e-commerce and the promotion of renewable energy.

Later on the same the day, H.E. TOURAY also received the ECOWAS Audit Committee, headed by Mrs. Diane Holo-Sacramento.  The six-member Audit Committee plays an important role in supervising financial control, internal controls and risk assessment within ECOWAS institutions.

Since the beginning of its mandate in November 2022, the Committee has actively engaged with all ECOWAS Institutions to ensure compliance with established procedures and processes for transparent, accountable and good management of Community resources.