By By Godfrey Olukya 13-1-2014
ECOWAS has pledged its support for Liberia Government’s six year
Agenda for Transformation (AFT) 2012-2017 and the National Framework
Vision 2030 aimed at consolidating peace and stability and making
Liberia a middle-income country by 2030,
Africa Press has reported.
The Special Representative of the ECOWAS Commission’s President to
Liberia, Ambassador Tunde Ajisomo, made the pledge during a recent
ceremony for the presentation of his credentials to Liberia’s
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Monrovia.
The envoy affirmed the thrust of ECOWAS’ strategic Vision 2020 aimed
at deepening regional integration and transforming “our region from an
ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of the People.”
He assured the Liberian leader that ECOWAS would continue to provide
necessary assistance to the Government and People of Liberia, hence
the re-opening of the Office of the Special Representative of the
President of ECOWAS Commission at Ambassadorial level.
The office, which was opened in 2004 was closed in 2010.
On behalf of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Ajisomo congratulated
the Liberian people on the country’s recent celebration of 10 years of
sustained peace and stability, facilitated by ECOWAS.
In her response during the December 2013 ceremony, President
Johnson-Sirleaf expressed her appreciation to the President of ECOWAS
Commission His Excellency Kadré Desire Ouédraogo for re-opening the
ECOWAS Office in Liberia and commended the regional organization for
resolving conflicts and for its leadership role in crisis management
in the region.
Assuring the envoy of the fullest support of the Government of Liberia
in the discharge of his duties in country, she called on ECOWAS and
other international partners to adopt an integrated approach in
dealing with the challenges of human and drug trafficking and other
organized cross-border crimes, including terrorism, illegal trade in
small arms and light weapons.
She also called for the acceleration of regional infrastructural development.
Following the presentation, Ambassador Ajisomo hosted a well-attended
reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps and friends of ECOWAS to
mark the occasion and the re- opening of ECOWAS Office in Liberia.
He also paid courtesy calls on the Ministers of Finance, National
Planning and Information Culture and Tourism as well as the Special
Representatives of the United Nations, the European Union and the
African Union, among others.
During the audiences, the envoy assured them of ECOWAS’ readiness to
work closely with all relevant stakeholders in Liberia towards
advancing ECOWAS integration projects in Liberia and in the
sub-region.
END