The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have called for faster implementation of regional development projects to improve livelihoods, create economic opportunities and advance regional integration across West Africa.
The call was made during a meeting in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, between the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Anthony Ogunjimi, and the AfDB Acting Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, Abdul Kamara.
According to a statement published on the ECOWAS Commission’s website, the meeting reviewed the longstanding partnership between the two institutions and explored ways to strengthen cooperation in support of the region’s development.
Mr Ogunjimi outlined the Commission’s management priorities for the next four years, anchored in the ECOWAS Vision 2050, stressing the need to translate plans and commitments into tangible benefits for citizens.
He said regional integration must produce practical results that improve people’s daily lives.
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The ECOWAS Vice-President also expressed appreciation to the AfDB for its longstanding financial and technical support for regional development initiatives.
Discussions focused on regional infrastructure, particularly the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor, as well as trade and investment, early warning and conflict prevention, human capital development, youth employment and the preparation of viable regional projects under the ECOWAS Community Development Programme.
Mr Kamara called for a more structured and institutionalisation platform for engagement between the two institutions to enable regular reviews of priorities, address implementation challenges and ensure follow-through on agreed actions.
Both institutions reaffirmed the need to accelerate project implementation and ensure that investments deliver lasting improvements in livelihoods, economic opportunities and community well-being across West Africa.
