Joe Effiong, Uyo
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has begun a-two day consultation workshop on the organisation’s post-2020 vision for the South-South zone.
Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance and National Planning in collaboration with ECOWAS Commission, the event, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, is meant to articulate views of various stakeholders on the impact of ECOWAS vision 2020.
Head of ECOWAS National Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. J. U. Oyi, said in his key note address noted that the workshop was targeted at outlining the expectations of the people of Nigeria, with regards to the formulations of ECOWAS vision-2050 documents.
To achieve this, Oyi said the workshop would be “consultative, participatory and forward thinking as the outcome of this workshop would be communicated to ECOWAS Commission as Nigeria’s position.”
He recalled that the Authority of Heads of State and Government, during its ordinary session in 2007, had adopted the transformational ECOWAS Vsion 2020, which he said was aimed at setting clear directions and goals to significantly raise the standard of living through conscious and inclusive programmes.
He averred that with response to many challenges, ECOWAS had established a road map to come up with a post vision-2020 for the sub-region.
Declaring the workshop opened, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, thanked the organisers of the event for finding the state capital suitable for the South South Consultative workshop.
The governor who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo pledged the support of government and people of the state to work in support for the realisation of post-vision 2020