Ishmael Bayoh
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Senegal who is also the doyen of ECOWAS Ambassadors, Alhaji Brima Elvis Koroma on Tuesday 11th June, 2024 called on Member States to uphold the values and aspirations for which the founding fathers founded the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Ambassador Koroma was speaking during a ceremony to mark the 49th Anniversary of ECOWAS organized by ECOWAS Ambassadors at the Grand Theater in Dakar with this year’s celebration centered around the theme: “Strengthening Regional Unity, Peace, and Security.”
This anniversary celebration not only commemorated nearly five decades of ECOWAS’s achievements but also reinforced the commitment of its institutions to work synergistically towards a peaceful, united, and prosperous West Africa. As ECOWAS looks ahead to its Vision 2050, the collaborative efforts demonstrated today would undoubtedly serve as a cornerstone for future successes.
Stressing on regional integration to bolster unity, economic development and to foster a brighter future for all West Africans, H.E Alhaji Brima Elvis Koroma mentioned how ECOWAS has facilitated trade and investment, trade liberalization, custom union, common Market and the ground work for a more integrated and prosperous West Africa.
He said the establishment of ECOWAS monitoring group (ECOMOG) to intervene in conflicts to provide crucial support to member states during conflict is second to none in restoring stability in conflict affected region. “As I stand here today, my country the Republic of Sierra Leone was a beneficiary and continues to benefit from this initiative. The contribution of ECOWAS will continue to linger in the minds of citizens of the region in general and citizens of Sierra Leone in particular,” Ambassador Koroma said.
Ambassador Koroma further stated that the ECOWAS community has developed efforts to promote education, healthcare, gender equality and justice for a better future. He added that the formation of the ECOWAS Parliament climaxed the achievements of the regional body.
The occasion brought together key stakeholders, including government representatives, and various partners, emphasizing the collaborative spirit for achieving the ambitious goals within the region.