In an extraordinary session this Saturday in Lome, the Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is struggling to agree on the rules for the allocation of statutory posts in the institutions of the community.
These are the attributions to be defined in the framework of the implementation of the reforms of the subregional institution. According to our information, almost all member countries are not ready to give their votes for the adoption of the rules, and the allocation of certain posts.
Indeed, ECOWAS anticipates a reduction in the number of 15 commissions to 9, for budgetary reasons. 9 posts to be divided among the 15 countries of the organization, and struggling to find consensus, after long hours of work at the headquarters of the Investment Bank of Cedeao (EBID) in Lome.
“Having the idea that the most difficult was done last December in Abuja, through the choice of the new president of the commission, I am confident that this meeting in Lomé will allow us to reach constructive consensus around the posts and make concrete and progressive recommendations and resolutions for submission to the Conference of Heads of State and Government, “said Robert Dussey, Togo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is also President of the Council of Ministers.
“The reform, if it succeeds, will have the merit of lightening the current capacity handicaps of ECOWAS and consequently strengthening its operating capacities,” he added.
As a reminder, the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government “urged the Commission to speed up the implementation of the institutional reform project and ensure the implementation of change management processes that can ensure smooth operation restructured EU institutions and agencies “, according to the conclusions of the last summit held on 16 December 2017 in Abuja, Nigeria.
