Taking Stock of Progress in the EU Pillar Assessment Process: ECOWAS Commission Holds a 4-Day Workshop in Lagos

The ECOWAS Commission is organizing a 4-day workshop, from October 10th to October 13th, 2023 in Lagos. The workshop aims to present results and progress, as well as provide updates on the status of activities related to the EU pillar assessment. The workshop is being organized with the technical support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

This meeting is a continuation of the previous workshop held in July 2023, which focused on the certification process of the EU pillar. During that workshop, a common roadmap was developed to monitor progress towards achieving the goals.

In his opening speech, Mr. Jérôme BOA, Director of External Relations of the ECOWAS Commission, emphasized the need for GIZ to expedite the process and effectively support ECOWAS in validating the EU pillar. He acknowledged the significance of this workshop in the EU pillar assessment process and urged all pillar champions to fulfill their assigned roles to achieve the desired objectives.

Mr. Molokwu AZIKIWE, Director, Budget & Treasury of the ECOWAS Commission, commended the progress made thus far by GIZ and ECOWAS EU pillar champions. He emphasized the urgency and importance of completing the tasks necessary for the assessment of the pillars and wished all participants a productive working session.

Mr. Franck-Emery Mongbe, representing GIZ, expressed gratitude to ECOWAS for organizing the workshop  and assured continued support from GIZ to ensure the success of the process. He also commended the ECOWAS leaders and Pillar Champions for their commitment and the progress made to date.

Mr. Ahmadou BALDE, Director, Financial Reporting & Grants of the ECOWAS Commission ,noted that the workshop offers an opportunity to assess the situation and clarify responsibilities and roles in order to expedite the ongoing process. He emphasized the importance of this process for the ECOWAS Commission.

The results of the workshop will be presented to ECOWAS management, collectively outlining the progress made in the pillar certification process and the steps needed for the final assessment of the EU pillar.