ECOWAS To Tackle Insecurity And Disease Pandemics

The 10th Annual Development Partners Co-ordinators Meeting of the ECOWAS Commission has ended in Abuja, with agreement on how to strengthen regional security and effective management of diseases.

At the three-day meeting which started on Monday delegates also discussed issues bordering on regional economic growth and t2015 elections among five member states – Togo, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

All the members agreed that insurgency in the region was having huge economic disadvantage to member states and the need to heighten counter-terrorism operations was emphasised.

Representatives of development partners and the commission believe that addressing security issues and maintaining effective disease control mechanism are important for steady growth and development.

The President of the ECOWAS, Kadre Ouedraogo, said several strategies that had been put in place by the commission were discussed and what was needed to tackle the insecurity and diseases outbreak in the region were also presented to the meeting.

In view of current health and security challenges facing member states, the commission presented areas of urgent attention for development partners to focus on.

Members were confident that concerted efforts of member states and development partners as demonstrated during the deliberations would translate into actions that would transform the ECOWAS region in the days ahead.