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Dr HEMOU P. DEDOU

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 Mr Jonas Hemou

Mr Hémou Dédou P. Jonas est le Représentant de la CEDEAO à Bruxelles depuis le 1er Avril 2016. Il assumait précédemment, au siège de la Commission de la CEDEAO, les fonctions de Directeur des Relations Extérieures. Il a également occupé de 2010 à 2012, le poste de Directeur des Affaires Politiques.

Antérieurement à ses fonctions régionales, Mr Hemou était Conseiller au cabinet du Ministre de l’Economie et des Finances de la République Togolaise en charge des questions d’intégration économique. Il fut notamment le Responsable de la Cellule Nationale CEDEAO-UEMOA du Togo.

Maitrisant parfaitement les enjeux actuels de développement, Mr Hemou jouit d’une vaste expérience dans les relations internationales, la coopération et le développement ainsi que sur les questions de paix et de sécurité. Il est titulaire d’un Doctorat en Economie et d’un Diplôme Supérieur en Diplomatie et en Stratégie. Mr Hemou est de nationalité togolaise, marié et père de deux enfants.


Senegal wins ECOWAS Wrestling Tournament in Dosso

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pic1 Senegal has won the10th edition of the ECOWAS Tournoi de Lutte Africaine de la Communauté (TOLAC) in Dosso, Niger Republic. Senegal beat Niger Republic in the finals of the team event to win the gold medal, with Niger winning the silver and Nigeria the bronze.

The tournament which featured team and individual events in 66kg, 76kg, 86kg, 100kg and 120kg categories ended on the 8th of May, 2016 with Senegal dominating the medals table at the individual category with Oumar Kane of Senegal winning the gold medal for the 120kg, while Nigeria’s Boltic Sinivie won the silver and Adamou Abdou of Niger the bronze.

Similarly, Senegal won the gold medals for the 100kg, 86kg and 76kg categories while Nigeria won gold for the 66kg and silver for the 100kg and 76kg categories.

TOLAC 2016 which was organized with support from Niger Republic’s Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture featured wrestlers from Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

Wrestlers in Action During the TOLAC CompetitionThe tournament was attended by top government delegations from participating member states and His Excellency Salissou Ada, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture of the Republic of Niger, Dr. Fatimata Dia Sow, the Commissioner of Social Affairs and Gender of the ECOWAS Commission and Abdoulaye Issa, the Governor of the Region of Dosso among others.

Functioning of Community Institutions to top discussions at the ECOWAS statutory meetings in Dakar

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PIC.7IMG_5170Dakar, the Senegalese capital, will host three statutory meetings of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from 9 to 13 May 2016 which are the 19th meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC), the 36th ordinary meeting of the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) and the 76th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers.

The 19th meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) holding from 9 to 11 May will set the ball rolling for this series of meetings which will feature chiefly, the presentation of the new President, Vice-President and Commissioners of the ECOWAS Commission.

The meeting will also be devoted to the consideration of all major issues affecting the deepening of the regional integration process, particularly the functioning of Community institutions and bodies.

Member States delegates will therefore consider the tasks assigned to the institutions and the Community’s financial situation, in addition to the Memorandum on Phases 1 and 2 of the Lungi Logistics Depot in Sierra Leone.

Discussions will equally focus on the memoranda on the transformation of the Missions Planning and Management Unit into the Peace Support Operations Division, the Community Strategic Framework, payment of resettlement allowances to statutory and professional officers, and the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority.

Other items tabled before the 19th AFC meeting are revision of the ECOWAS staff regulations, presentation of the financial controller’s 2015 interim report, update on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union and status of the Regional Indicative Programme.

The meeting will end on 11 May and will be followed the next day by the 36th ordinary session of the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) involving the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence of ECOWAS Member States.

This one-day meeting will discuss the political and security situation in some Member States and the different electoral processes underway in the region.

The Agenda of the 76th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers contains several items slated for decision, endorsement or information.

The Council is made up of Member States’ Ministers of Finance and Integration and will consider in particular, the 2016 ECOWAS Interim Report and the 2015 Final Report of the Financial Controller.

It is also expected to review the report of the 19th AFC meeting and appraise the implementation status of the tasks assigned by its 75th session.

The last two items for the decision of Council are the presentation on the Community’s financial situation and the consideration of the draft Agenda for the 49th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government which will be held on 4th June 2016 in the Senegalese capital.

Endorsements will be sought for the report of the Member States’ Ministers of Ouality meeting and the adoption of eleven ECOWAS Harmonized Standards, as well as the final report and communiqué of the 17th ordinary meeting of the Assembly of Health Ministers of the region.

Similarly, a presentation on the Technical Note on the participation of the West African Health Organization (WAHO) at the high-level Summit on HIV/AIDS will be made to Council members who will also consider the memorandum on the Model National Disaster Management Agency for Member States.

Items presented for the information of Council border on institution reforms, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union and the status of the Regional Indicative Programme.

The 76th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers will afford a forum for the swearing-in of the ECOWAS Commission’s new Vice President and Commissioners who assumed duty in the first quarter of 2016.

The new President, Mr. Marcel de Souza on the other hand, will be sworn in before the 49th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to be held in the Senegalese capital on 4th June 2016.

Marcel De Souza Makes Case For 16th Economy For The 15 ECOWAS Member States

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PIC.1IMG_5188The ECOWAS Commission President, Mr. Marcel de Souza, has called on participants in the 19th Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) meeting which opened on Monday, 9 May 2016 in Dakar, Senegal, to redouble efforts in enhancing the well-being of West African citizens and achieving an ECOWAS of People.

While expressing satisfaction at the remarkable progress and gains recorded in the regional Organization’s 41 years of existence, Mr. de Souza noted that several challenges still remain to be addressed.

It is our collective duty to ensure that steps are taken to effectively build the 16th economy for the 15 Member States, that is, an effective economic and customs union in a political environment that upholds the fundamental rights of citizens and is capable of shrinking the borders of poverty”, he stated.

According to the Commission’s principal, ECOWAS Member States can develop only through active and dynamic regional solidarity and within the context of a common integration policy and strategies.PIC.3IMG_5224

To that end, Mr. Souza welcomed the meeting which he said presented the occasion to interact with the Community’s representatives. He took the opportunity to remind delegates of the importance of the Community Levy which, in his words, constitutes the backbone for financing ECOWAS programmes and activities.

I appeal to all Member States to consistently implement the Community Levy Protocol and the relevant mechanisms, to provide the Community with the needed funds”, he said.

The head of ECOWAS’ executive body undertook, along with his team, to manage with due rigour the resources made available to the organization.

In similar fashion, the Director of Regional Integration of Senegal and AFC Chairman, Mr. Jean Antoine Diouf, called on Member States to honour their Community Levy commitments and also exercise stricter controls over the functioning of ECOWAS institutions.PIC.2IMG_5227

The institutions must show an acute sense of responsibility in the sound management of Community funds and raise the level of its financial governance to meet international standards.

Our resources should be channeled more towards real development programmes rather than operations or coordination efforts, that is to say meetings and retreats of which some add no real value. The diverse staff body is also expected to be skilled and to create value”, the AFC Chairman said.

Mr. Diouf commended the review of the Staff Regulations and hoped the final document, due to be examined by the 19th AFC meeting, will spur ECOWAS officers to give of their best for the Community.

The meeting will examine all major issues relating to the deepening of the regional integration process, especially the report on the functioning of Community institutions and bodies.

Member States’ delegates will thus consider the tasks assigned to institutions and the Community’s financial situation, as well as the Memorandum on Phases 1 and 2 of the Lungi Logistics Depot in Sierra Leone.

Discussions will equally focus on the memoranda on the transformation of the Missions Planning and Management Unit into the Peace Support Operations Division, the Community Strategic Framework, payment of resettlement allowances to statutory and professional officers and the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority.

Other items tabled before the meeting are the review of the ECOWAS staff regulations, presentation of the financial controller’s 2015 interim report, update on the Economic Partnership Agree, and status of the Regional Indicative Programme.

The meeting’s opening ceremony afforded the opportunity to present the new Commissioners, Vice-President and President of the ECOWAS Commission.

Courtesy visit of UNODC to the ECOWAS Commission

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The Executive Director of UNODC Mr. Yuri Fedotou led a delegation from UNODC and Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pay a courtesy call to the ECOWAS Commission on the 5th of May, 2016. They met with the New ECOWAS Vice President, Mr. Edward Singhatey in the Presence of ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Dr. Fatimata Dia Sow, Dr. Sintiki Ugbe, Director of Gender, Drugs and Youth development and other team member of the Project.

This courtesy call was to kick start the implementation of the Visibility Actions for ECOWAS – EU Grant Project on “Support for ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on Illicit Drug Trafficking, related Organized Crime and Drug Abuse in West Africa”

right. VP ECOWAS Commission shaking hands with Pierre LAPAQUE Regional Rep. and Yuri FEDOTOU ED. UNODC
right. VP ECOWAS Commission shaking hands with Pierre LAPAQUE Regional Rep. and Yuri FEDOTOU ED. UNODC
l-r Cherine Rahmy Chief Regional Section for Africa and the Middle East Div. for Op. Yuri FEDOTOU ED UNODC and Pierre LAPAQUE Regional Rep. UNODC
l-r Cherine Rahmy Chief Regional Section for Africa and the Middle East Div. for Op. Yuri FEDOTOU ED UNODC and Pierre LAPAQUE Regional Rep. UNODC
l-r Commr. Gender, VP ECOWAS and Dir. Cabinet
l-r Commr. Gender, VP ECOWAS and Dir. Cabinet
Group Photograph
Group Photograph

Swearing in of new commissioners of the ECOWAS Commission in Dakar, 13th May 2016

Courtesy calls on president ECOWAS commission by Jean De Dieu Somda; Sem Fulvio Rustico, Ambassador Of Italy In Nigeria And H.E. Michel Arion, Head Of European Union, Nigeria. Abuja, 16th May 2016

ECOWAS Develops New Statutes to Reposition ‘Council of the Wise’

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 Abuja, 19th May 2016

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A meeting on the draft Statute of the ECOWAS Council of the Wise was organized by The ECOWAS Directorate of Mediation and Facilitation in a move to reposition the ECOWAS Council of the Wise organised a two day meeting of Experts from Member States in Abuja, Nigeria from the 4th to 5th May, 2016 with support from the German International Development Agency (GIZ) to draft a new statue.

The ECOWAS Council of the Wise, as defined by Article 20 of the 1999 Protocol Relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peace-keeping and Security, otherwise known as the Mechanism, is one of the mediation organs of the ECOWAS Commission. The Council of the Wise was operationalized following the adoption of the Mechanism with the appointment of Members of the Council by the President of the Commission, who would, on behalf of the President of the Commission, use their good offices and experience to play the role of mediators, conciliators and facilitators for the purposes of preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution in the region.

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Members of the Council of the Wise have over the years, been engaged in various preventive diplomacy capacities such as  Special Envoys, Mediators, Heads and members of pre-electoral facts finding and election observation missions among other assignments.

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In line with the new impetus to reposition the Council of the Wise, a draft Statute detailing the mandate, function and administrative framework to guide the work of the Council was developed by the ECOWAS Directorate of Mediation and Facilitation which was debated during the meeting in Abuja.

Mrs. Halima Ahmed, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security represented by Mrs. Florence Iheme, Ag. Director, Mediation and Facilitation in her welcome remarks welcomed participants and commended them for accepting to be part of the workshop. She also underlined the major role played by the Council of the Wise in maintaining peace and stability in the ECOWAS region.

After exhaustive deliberations, inputs, comments and observations during the two-day session, the necessary amendments were made to the draft Statute which was adopted at the end of the meeting.


Visits of officials and activites of the President of the ECOWAS Commission

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Visit of H.E. Eric Mayoraz, Amb. de Suisse to ECOWAS President H.E. Marcel Allain de Souza on 18th May, 2016 Abuja, Nigeria.

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Right, ECOWAS Commission President H.E. Marcel Allain de Souza welcoming H.E. Eric Mayoraz Amb. de Suisse

 

Visits of H.E. Michael Zenner, Amb. of Germany and H.E. Andrea Ori West African Regional Rep. of Human Right Darkar, Senegal to ECOWAS President Abuja, Nigeria 18th May, 2016.

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1ST ORDINARY SESSION OF ECOWAS PARLIAMENT 4TH LEGISLATURE HELD, 17TH MAY 2016

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A cross section of new ECOWAS Commissioners(L-R);  Dr. Hamidou Boly, Commissioner, Education, Social and Culture; Mr. Tchambakou Ayassor, Commissioner, Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources and Mr. Laouali Chaibou, Commissioner, Trade, Customs and Free Movement during the 1st Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament 4th Legislature holding in Abuja, 17th May 2016.

PIC. 7H.E. Marcel Alain de Souza, President, ECOWAS Commission, right, in a handshake with the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Honourable Moustapha Cisse LO, after giving Report of Activities  at the 1st Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament 4th Legislature holding in Abuja, 17th May 2016.

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PIC. 4H.E. Marcel Alain de Souza, President, ECOWAS Commission, giving Report of Activities  at the 1st Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament 4th Legislature holding in Abuja, 17th May 2016.

ECOWAS, UNESCO Support African Mathematical Scientists

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Abuja, 19th May 2016

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is lending its support towards the development of Mathematics in the region by partnering with the African Academy of Science, African Mathematical Union and UNESCO in the symposium with the title “Current Research Trends in Mathematical Sciences and Applications” which is taking place in Abuja, Nigeria from the 17th to 20th May, 2016.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture, Dr. Hamidou Boly, who was represented by Professor Abdoulaye Maga, the Director, Education, Culture, Science & Technology stated that the aim of the symposium is to eventually help reframe national and regional policies on the subject of mathematics. He added that discussions at the symposium will chart an effective course for further propagation of current developments in the mathematical science for the overall development of Africa.4

The Symposium will amongst other things, provide a forum for the younger generation of Mathematical Scientists to interact with and be inspired by more established mathematicians and improve on current mentor-mentee relationships.

Professor Adewale Roland T. Solarin, CEO, Nigerian Mathematical Centre, and the President, African Mathematical Union (AMU) & UNESCO Chair on Mathematics highlighted during the opening ceremony that the symposium will review and improve on existing networks on the continent as well as create new ones in collaboration with international partners.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the President African Academy of Science (AAS), Professor Aderemi Kuku, the representatives of the Executive Secretary- National Universities Commission, Prof Julius A.Okojie, representative of the Minister of Education as well as partners and keynote speakers from the International Scientific Community.

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ECOWAS, GPEN, COE host Cybercrimes training

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ECOWAS in collaboration with the Global Prosecutors E-crime Network (GPEN) of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) and the Council of Europe (COE)  is hosting a three-day training programme for Member States between the 24th and 26th May 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria.

The training for prosecutors and investigators in the region will strengthen the fight against cybercrime in the region by focusing on tackling common challenges inhibiting the detection, investigations and prosecutions of cybercrime and other crimes that generate electronic evidence in Member States.

Get to know ECOWAS training programme holds in abuja

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 DSC00519 Logo_Friedrich_Ebert_Stiftung.svgAbuja 25th May 2016

A five-day programme entitled: Get to Know ECOWAS is to hold from May 30th to the 3rd of June 2016 in Abuja. It would train participants on the role of journalists in advancing the concept of an ECOWAS of the people among others.

The training which is being organized by the Friedrich- Ebert –Stiftung, Nigeria in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, seeks to draw attention to ECOWAS as one of the socio-political regional success stories on the African continent and beyond standing side by side with other initiatives such as the Andean Pact, Mercosur and South Asian Community of States.

By the reckoning of observers, ECOWAS has made commendable strides on the African continent which also features regional organisations such as Southern African Development Community (SADC), Inter-governmental Authority for Development(IGAD), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the East African Community (EAC).

Some of the milestones accomplished by ECOWAS in this regard include: Common ECOWAS passport, free movement of goods, persons and services, Common External Tariff (CET), Creation of institutional reforms resulting in the emergence of a stable Commission, community Parliament and Court of justice. There is also the taking up of specialised Community services and monitoring of risks and security (Early warning system), Elections monitoring, and health initiatives such as the successful fight against the scourge of Ebola virus, etc.

In view of this, the focus of the training workshop on the role of journalists in the ECOWAS processes is advantageous in order to further popularize ECOWAS operations and programmes and have well informed and engaged ECOWAS citizens by the year 2055.

This will also synergistically bring about a robust relationship between the media, the citizens and those saddled with the responsibility of running the affairs of the regional body.

The training programme seeks to make many more citizens of West Africa and the world at large to have full information on the achievements recorded by ECOWAS in its 41 years of existence as well as its development projects and positive programmes that are slowly transforming the West African region.

Specific thematic areas of focus during the sessions would include: The role of ECOWAS in Ensuring Peace and Stability in West Africa, ICT as a Means of Integrating Peoples across West Africa, Breaking Barriers through Free Movement of Persons and Goods and CET as a Catalyst for Trade Liberalization in West African Region.

Others are: The Story of our Founding Fathers and Establishment of Progressive Regional Body, The Role of Communication Directorate in Creating Awareness Amongst the Citizens of The ECOWAS Community and the Role of the Social Media in advancing the cause of Democracy and Good Governance in West African Region- the Nigerian Example

Through paper presentations, group work and discussions on themes such as Understanding ECOWAS and its Challenges, it is hoped that the exchange of ideas and knowledge would trigger valuable suggestions bringing about the desirable learning curves necessary for the attainment of the lofty goals of the regional community including the formulation of more practical ways of addressing some of the issues like citizens support and ownership of programmes.

Profile of Mr. Kone Tanou Leon, the ECOWAS Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN)

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MR KONE TANOU

Mr. Kone Tanou Leon is the ECOWAS Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN). He was born on the 4th of March 1955 in Toumodi, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business and Public Administration from the South-Eastern University. Washington D. C, U.S.A (1982). This is complimented by a 1986 High Studies Diploma in Commercial Policy from the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) course in Geneva, Switzerland. He had earlier in 1979 obtained a Bachelor of Social Sciences Degree from the University of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire as well as a Degree in History and Geography in 1977 from the same institution.

Mr. Tanou began his public service life in 1983 as Head of the Department of Trade, Ministry of Commerce, Cote d’Ivoire. Before his current appointment, he was Minister Counsellor and Deputy High Commissioner, Embassy of Cote d’Ivoire in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Benin from January 2012 to April 2014.

Between August 2007 and January 2012, Tanou was the Counselor, economic affairs, bilateral cooperation and ECOWAS matters and later First Counselor at the same Embassy. He had been the Deputy Director of Documentation and Archives of the Department of Communication and Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Côte d’Ivoire between March 2005 and December 2006.

He had also served as the Senior Officer, Department of Ivoirians abroad, Ministry of Foreign Affairs after completing his term as Senior Officer in the Department of International Economic Relations of the same Ministry between 2002 and 2005

Mr. Tanou was the Counsellor in charge of Economic and Commercial Affairs, Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire in Algeria and later Tunisia between July 1987 and October 2002.

He has participated in several ECOWAS technical meetings from 2007 up to the period of his current appointment. These meetings included the Council of Ministers and ECOWAS Ordinary and Extraordinary Summits as well as related meetings such as the annual Conferences of the American Planning Association (APA), Boston in April 1981 and in April 1982 in Dallas (Texas) USA.

Among the relevant training sessions he has attended are the Marketing Training

Seminar (MATCHMAKERII) for Export in Development Emerging Countries, Rotterdam, Netherlands in March 1985 as well as the seminar on fairs, exhibitions and trade missions organized for promoters of African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) French exporting countries by ITC / UNCTAD / GATT in Geneva, Switzerland, in March 1986.

Mr. Tanou had been the President of the 62nd edition of the trainees of the GATT in Geneva, Switzerland 1986 and a member of the Ariana La Rose Rotary Club of the District 9010, Tunis. He was also the chairman of the Diplomatic Club of Algiers between 1992 and 1993 and had been a member of the Italian Club of Tunis in the years 1999 to 2000

He is fluent in both French and English and has a working knowledge of Spanish. He is married with four children.

SERVICE CONTRACT NOTICE Technical Assistance to ECOWAS for the Implementation of the 10th EDF Transport Facilitation Project II (TFP II)

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SERVICE CONTRACT NOTICE

Technical Assistance to ECOWAS for the Implementation of the 10th EDF
Transport Facilitation Project II (TFP II)
Location – West Africa (ECOWAS): Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Togo

1. Publication reference

EuropeAid/137681/IH/SER/ROC

2. Procedure

Restricted

3. Programme title

Transport Facilitation Project II 10th EDF – Support to the Commissions of ECOWAS and
UEMOA

4. Financing

Financing agreement – ROC/FED/2014/024-204

5. Contracting Authority

The Regional Authorising Officer (RAO) for the EDF, representing the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS), Abuja, NIGERIA

CONTRACT SPECIFICATION

6. Nature of contract

Fee-based

7. Contract description

The contractor will support the ECOWAS Commission, based in Abuja, Nigeria, to manage the
implementation of the Transport Facilitation Programme II. The general objective of the programme
is to contribute to the growth of intra an extra community trade and exchanges through the
installation of a transport facilitation system. The implementation period will be 28 months.

The specific objectives are:

1. The operationalisation of the Joint Border Post of Noepe (Ghana/Togo) and Seme (Nigeria/Benin)

2. Establishment of the Road Information System in order to strengthen the management and
planning of improved road infrastructures in regional corridors.

3. A more efficient transport system in the regional corridors. Especially by reducing abnormal
practices and having more efficient border control systems and a more modern road
transportation sector.

The contract includes programme estimates.

The Technical Assistance team consists of two long-term transport facilitation specialists:
. One transport specialist and experienced programme manager, with extensive
knowledge of EU procurement and financing procedures, who will also act as the Team
Leader.
. One programme/financial manager with a background in transport facilitation
programmes, particularly funded by the EU.
The long-term experts will be supported by a pool of short-term experts in the areas of
transport logistics, cross-border customs systems interconnection, related experts and local
staff.

8. Number and titles of lots

One lot only

9. Maximum budget

EUR 2,800,000

10. Scope for additional services

The Contracting Authority may, at its own discretion, extend the project in duration and/or
scope subject to the availability of funding up to a maximum not exceeding the length and
value of the initial contract . Any extension of the contract would be subject to satisfactory
performance by the Contractor.

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

11. Eligibility

Participation in tendering is open on equal terms to natural and legal persons (participating either
individually or in a grouping (consortium) of tenderers which are established in a Member State of
the European Union, ACP States or in a country or territory authorised by the ACP_EC Partnership
Agreement under which the contract is financed (see also item 29 below). Participation is also
open to international organisations.

12. Candidature

All eligible natural and legal persons (as per item 11 above) or groupings of such persons
(consortia) may apply.

A consortium may be a permanent, legally-established grouping or a grouping which has been
constituted informally for a specific tender procedure. All members of a consortium (ie, the
leader and all other members) are jointly and severally liable to the Contracting Authority.

The participation of an ineligible natural or legal person (as per item 11) will result in the
automatic exclusion of that person. In particular, if that ineligible person belongs to a
consortium, the whole consortium will be excluded.

13. Number of applications

No more than one application can be submitted by a natural or legal person whatever the form
of participation (as an individual legal entity or as leader or member of a consortium
submitting an application). In the event that a natural or legal person submits more than one
application, all applications in which that person has participated will be excluded.

14. Shortlist alliances prohibited

Any tenders received from tenderers comprising firms other than those mentioned in the
short-listed application forms will be excluded from this restricted tender procedure unless
prior approval from the Contracting Authority has been obtained (see Practical Guide –
PRAG- 2.4.3.). Short-listed candidates may not form alliances or subcontract to each other for
the contract in question.

15. Grounds for exclusion

As part of the application form, candidates must submit a signed declaration, included in the
standard application form, to the effect that they are not in any of the exclusion situations
listed in Section 2.3.3 of the PRAG

16. Sub-contracting

Subcontracting is allowed

17. Number of candidates to be short-listed

On the basis of the applications received, between 4 and 8 candidates will be invited to submit
detailed tenders for this contract. If the number of eligible candidates meeting the selection
criteria is less than the minimum of 4, the Contracting Authority may invite the candidates
who satisfy the criteria to submit a tender.

PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE

18. Provisional date of invitation to tender

August 2016

19. Provisional commencement date of the contract

November 2016

20. Initial period of implementation of tasks

28 months

SELECTION AND AWARD CRITERIA

21. Selection criteria

The following selection criteria will be applied to candidates. In the case of applications
submitted by a consortium, these selection criteria will be applied to the consortium as a
whole unless specified otherwise. The selection criteria will not be applied to natural persons
and single-member companies when they are sub-contractors.

1) Economic and financial capacity of candidate (based on item 3 of the application
form). In case of candidate being a public body, equivalent information should be
provided.

a) The annual turnover of the candidate for each of the last three financial years (2013, 2014,
2015) must exceed €1,500,000 EUR; and

b) The current ratio (current assets divided by current liabilities) in the last year for which
accounts have been closed (2015) must be at least 1. In case of a consortium this criterion
must be fulfilled by each member.
2) Professional capacity of candidate (based on items 4 and 5 of the application form)

The candidate must have at least 15 permanent staff of which at least 5 must be working in the
area of transport and transit facilitation as well as regional integration in developing countries.

3) Technical capacity of candidate (based on items 5 and 6 of the application form)

(a) The candidate has provided services under at least one (1) contract with a
budget of at least that of this contract (€2,800,000) in the area of transport or
transit facilitation, which was implemented at any moment during the
reference period: (2013, 2014 2015)
This means that the project the candidate refers to could have been started or
completed at any time during the indicated period but it does not necessarily
have to be started and completed during that period, nor implemented during the
entire period. Candidates/tenderers are allowed to refer either to projects
completed within the reference period (although started earlier) or to projects
not yet completed. In the first case the project will be considered in its whole if
proper evidence of performance is provided (statement or certificate from the
entity which awarded the contract, proof of final payment). In case of projects
still on-going only the portion satisfactorily completed during the reference
period although started earlier will be taken into consideration. This portion will
have to be supported by documentary evidence (similarly to projects completed)
also detailing its value. If a candidate/tenderer has implemented the project in a
consortium, the percentage that the candidate/tenderer has successfully
completed must be clear from the documentary evidence, together with a
description of the nature of the services provided if the selection criteria relating
to the pertinence of the experience have been used.

(b) The candidate should provide proofs of a minimum of 5 years working experience
across the fields related to regional economic integration, transport facilitation and
institutional capacity building.

(c) The candidate should have implemented at least a service contract through
programme estimates in the last three years, using international or EDF procurement
and contract procedures.

Previous experience which caused breach of contract and termination by a Contracting
Authority shall not be used as reference.

An economic operator may, where appropriate and for a particular contract, rely on the
capacities of other entities, regardless of the legal nature of the links which it has with them.
It must in that case prove to the Contracting Authority that it will have at its disposal the
resources necessary for performance of the contract, for example by producing an
commitment on the part of those entities to place those resources at its disposal. Such
entities, for instance the parent company of the economic operator, must respect the same
rules of eligibility – notably that of nationality – and must fulfil the same relevant selection
criteria as the economic operator. With regard to technical and professional criteria, an
economic operator may only rely on the capacities of other entities where the latter will
perform the works or services for which these capacities are required. With regard to
economic and financial criteria, the entities upon whose capacity the tenderer relies, become
jointly and severally liable for the performance of the contract..

If more than 8 eligible candidates meet the above selection criteria, the relative strengths
and weaknesses of the applications of these candidates must be reexamined to identify
the eight best candidates. The only factors which will be taken into consideration during
this re-examination are:

i) Experience in transport facilitation projects: two points for each additional project above
the minimum requirement.

ii) Experience in projects with programme estimates. Two points for each additional project
above the minimum.

22. Award criteria

Best price-quality ratio.

APPLICATION

23. Deadline for receipt of applications

16:00 Nigerian time on Monday, 27th June 2016

Any application received by the Contracting Authority after this deadline will not be
considered.

24. Application format and details to be provided

Applications must be submitted using the standard application form, the format and instructions
of which must be strictly observed. The application form is available from the following Internet
address: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/prag/annexes.do?chapterTitleCode=B

The application must be accompanied by a declaration of honour on exclusion and selection
criteria using the template available from the following Internet address:

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/prag/annexes.do?chapterTitleCode=A

Any additional documentation (brochure, letter, etc) sent with an application will not be taken
into consideration.

25. How applications may be submitted

Applications must be submitted in English exclusively to the Contracting Authority in a
sealed envelope:

. EITHER by recorded delivery (official postal service) to :
Commissioner for Infrastructure

ECOWAS Commission Annex, Niger House,

3rd Floor, Plot B17 Ralph Sodeinde Street,

Adjacent to Akwa Ibom House,

CBD, Abuja, Nigeria
. OR hand delivered (including courier services) directly to the Contracting Authority in return
for a signed and dated receipt to:

Commissioner for Infrastructure

ECOWAS Commission Annex, Niger House,

3rd Floor, Plot B17 Ralph Sodeinde Street,

Adjacent to Akwa Ibom House,

CBD, Abuja, Nigeria
The Contract title and the Publication reference (see item 1 above) must be clearly
marked on the envelope containing the application and must always be mentioned in all
subsequent correspondence with the Contracting Authority.

Applications submitted by any other means will not be considered.

By submitting an application candidates accept to receive notification of the outcome of the
procedure by electronic means. Such notification shall be deemed to have been received on the
date upon which the contracting authority sends it to the electronic address referred to in the
application.

26. Alteration or withdrawal of applications

Candidates may alter or withdraw their applications by written notification prior to the
deadline for submission of applications. No application may be altered after this deadline.

Any such notification of alteration or withdrawal shall be prepared and submitted in
accordance with Item 25. The outer envelope (and the relevant inner envelope if used) must
be marked ‘Alteration’ or ‘Withdrawal’ as appropriate.

27. Operational language

All written communications for this tender procedure and contract must be in English.

28. Date of publication of prior information notice

2nd of December 2015

The notice number in OJ S may be found under the title of the project in the published notice
on the EuropeAid webpage.

29. Legal basis

Annex IV to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and
Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States,
of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 as amended in Luxembourg on 25 June
2005 and in Ouagadougou on 22 June 2010. Reference is made to Annex IV as revised by
Decision 1/2014 of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers of 20 June 2014.

30. Additional information

The opening hours of the Contracting Authority is between 9:00 a.m. till 17:00 p.m.
Mondays to Fridays except on public holidays.

ECOWAS MOVES FOR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT FROM NIGERIA

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Villa Visit 26-05-16

Even though ECOWAS enjoys fraternal relations with Nigeria, it nevertheless wants a renewal of the partnership that currently exists given the preeminence of Nigeria among the nations within the fold of the Economic Community of West African States.

To this end, the President of the ECOWAS Commission Alain de Souza on Thursday 26th of May 2016 met with the Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari to discuss matters of regional importance as well as to solicit the continuous support of Nigeria towards ensuring that the regional group fulfill its integration mandate.

President de Souza who was accompanied by the full compliments of senior officials of the ECOWAS Commission had earlier visited the Nigerian ministry of Foreign Affairs where he conferred with the Minister of State Hajia Khadija Bukar Ibrahim before proceeding to the Presidential Villa to meet with the Nigerian President. Both presidents discussed in an atmosphere of utmost cordiality.

Discussions during the meetings centered on matters of urgent regional importance, collective security, finances, Common External Tariffs (CET), the Economic Partnership agreement (EPA), intra-community trade as well as reforms and adjustments at ECOWAS.

President Souza who said he was desirous of consolidating the age-long collaboration between the regional group and Nigeria and to strengthen the existing framework of cooperation noted that, Nigeria alone constitute 200 million of the 320 million people in West Africa “We refer rightly to Nigeria as the locomotive engine of West Africa and problems cannot be solved without the locomotive being involved. So there is a leadership role Nigeria has to play” President Souza added.

Emphasizing Nigeria’s unparalleled leadership role in West Africa, President de Souza recalled the country’s outstanding sacrifices in the past in trying to ensure greater stability and integration of the region with examples abounding its peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

He commended President Buhari for Nigeria’s recent successes in the war against terrorism and insurgency.

Responding, the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari formally welcomed de Souza to Nigeria and stressed that he would do what is best to make the mandate of the ECOWAS Commission president and his team realisable.

Earlier, the Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ibrahim disclosed that Nigeria accords great importance to ECOWAS stressing that the background and wealth of experience of President de Souza as a banker and finance manager would come handing in resolving some of the old issues on ground  before his resumption of office.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission was accompanied on the visits by Vice President Edward Singhatey, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs Peace and Security (PAPS) Halima Ahmed as well as the Commissioner for finance and his Administration and Conference counterpart Messrs. Allieu Sesay and Stephen Nartey

 

 


Happy ECOWAS Day!

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Happy ECOWAS Day!
Bonne celebration de la journee de la CEDEAO!
Feliz dia da CEDEAO!

 

ECOWAS, F.E.S. emphasize role of the media in west African integration

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PIC. 1

 

The role of the media in bringing the positive impact of the integration activities of ECOWAS to the doorsteps of citizens of West Africa is of more importance today than ever before. This position was strongly echoed at the “Get to Know ECOWAS” Training for journalists which began on the 30th of May 2016 in Abuja.

The study tour and training programme is organized by the Communication Directorate of the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES). The idea is to create a pool of well-informed media practitioners who would act as catalysts to bridge the information and awareness gap between ECOWAS and the citizens of West Africa while leveraging on the strategic importance of the media to ensure that milestones of ECOWAS are brought closer to the people.

Welcoming journalists from the West African region to the programme on behalf of His Excellency Marcel Alain de Souza, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the ECOWAS Director of Communication Mrs. Sandra Oulate Fattoh Elleingand stressed the imperativeness of having a crop of better informed journalists about ECOWAS and its institution towards the envisaged greater integration of the area, with an ECOWAS of the people in sight by 2020

Speaking on The Role of Communication Directorate in Creating Awareness Amongst the Citizens of The ECOWAS Community Mrs. Fattoh Elleigand said the Abuja study tour and training programme presents an ample opportunity to discuss mutual interest of the practitioners, ECOWAS Commission and the people of West Africa in general.

She said that it is gratifying that the agenda covers a wide range of interesting items having to do with the operations and programmes of ECOWAS and as they relate to the specific needs of the people of the region.

The Resident Representative, FES Nigeria Madam Seija Sturies maintained that the FES which has been involved in the development process in Nigeria since 1976, is now actively engaged in the promotion of participatory democracy. The focus she said, has become necessary because “without information this will just be a façade”

PIC. 16 (2)

Madam Sturies further disclosed that the collaboration with ECOWAS also stems from the fact that FES is a German organization that is committed to the values of social democracy and is collaborating in Nigeria with different stakeholders such as human rights and civil society organisations, the Parliament, as well as Trade Unions

The citizens of West Africa, she continued, deserve to know about the policies and programmes of those that are at the helm of affairs just as they deserve to contribute if need be to the decisions that directly affect them “and the onus is on the media to bring information to citizens”

Making reference to several ECOWAS integration programmes and provisions such as the one on Free Movement of Goods, Persons and Services, she noted that it has become necessary to find out how many of traders in the region are aware of the provisions as they operate across the border whereas, making such information available at the community level can help change some of the practices, and then facilitates and accelerate regional integration and development.

PIC. 10 (2)The German ambassador to Nigeria Michael Zenner maintained that the collaborative effort at bringing about greater awareness of the ECOWAS achievements and prospects stems from the recognition that trans-national problems cannot be solved by one nation alone just as the commitment of ECOWAS to integration, stability and collective security can help to foster public trust among member nations.

Stressing that the task at hand was to sensitise journalists on their role in the actualisation of ECOWAS vision, he said the huge expectations after the study tour is for the journalists to explain the ECOWAS Community programmes to the people, how it works and who it works for knowing that it is only by working together that Ambassador Zenner added that we can build a west African house strong enough to withstand the storms of the future.

During the Get to Know ECOWAS Opening-Day session, a fifteen-minute documentary also featured as well as power point presentations on The History of ECOWAS and Role of ECOWAS in Ensuring Peace and Stability in West Africa.

 

Council of ministers lauds remarkable progress by the Community

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H.E. Marcel Alain de Souza, President, ECOWAS Commission making statement, left, during the opening ceremony of 76th Ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, with him, H.E. Kadim Diop, Chairman of Council and Minister of African Integration, NEPAD and Promotion of Good Governance of the Republic of Senegal. Dakar, 13th May 2016.


The Senegalese Minister for African Integration and Good Governance, Khadim Diop, has hailed the remarkable progress this year by ECOWAS in the areas of regional integration, democracy and economic development.

In his remarks delivered on Friday, 13 May 2016 in Dakar, Senegal, at the opening of the 76th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers which he chairs, Mr Diop expressed satisfaction at the entry into force of the Common External Tariff, adoption of the ECOWAS biometric ID card and signing of the Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union.

On the political front, Mr Diop commended the peaceful conduct of elections in five Member States, stating that the successful polls have set ECOWAS firmly on the path of sustainable peace and security.

Concerning the major challenges confronting the West African sub-region, Khadim Diop mentioned poverty, youth unemployment, the recent resurgence of some cases of the Ebola Virus Disease, as well as the imperative need to rapidly find lasting solutions to the Community Levy implementation.

He called for Community resources to be redirected towards priority integrating programmes within the region and lauded the bold protective measures already taken by the new President of the Commission to streamline and reduce the cost of running Community Institutions.

In the same vein, the new President of the Community’s executive body, Marcel de Souza descibed the austerity, cost reduction and cash control measures he has put in place with the support of the Commissioners and Heads of ECOWAS Institutions.

He expressed regret at the grim state of ECOWAS’ finances which are derived largely from raw materials and oil exports.

The situation is unlikely to push Member States to pay the Community Levy, Mr. de Souza said and the question should be asked if this is the reason for the Commission’s dangerous and precarious financial situation.

He reiterated the interest that regional integration holds which he said can be achieved only in an environment of peace and security, as well as the risks and threats which impede the economic development of the Community.

To achieve this, Marcel de Souza urged the Community to be particularly careful and to increase its dynamism at a time when ECOWAS is being constantly shaken by violence, sea piracy and terrorist attacks in several Member States, which have resulted in the loss of human lives.

The 76th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers of the regional organisation has some important items on its agenda presented both for decision and approval.

The Council is made up of the Ministers of Finance and Integration of Member States and will consider in particular, the 2016 ECOWAS Interim Report and the 2015 Final Report of the Financial Controller. It is also expected to consider the report of the 19th meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) and review the status of the tasks assigned by its 75th session.PIC. 12

The last two items for the decision of Council concern the financial situation of the Community and the consideration of the draft agenda for the 49th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to be held on 4 June 2016 in the Senegalese capital.

Items slated for approval include the report of ECOWAS Ministers of Quality and the adoption of eleven ECOWAS Standards (ECOSTAND), as well as the report and final communiqué of the 17th meeting of the Assembly of Health Ministers.

Council members will be presented with a technical note on the participation of the West African Health Organisation at a high-level HIV/AIDS Summit and will consider the memorandum of the ECOWAS standard model agency for the management of natural disasters in Member States.

Items presented for information are updates on the institutional reforms, Economic Partnership Agreement between West Africa and the European Union and the status of the Regional Indicative Programme.PIC. 14

The 76th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers was also the occasion for the Vice President and seven Commissioners who assumed duty in the first quarter of 2016, to take their oath of office before the President of the Community Court of Justice, Honourable Judge Maria do Ceu Silva Monteiro.


The Commissioners are Ayassor Tchambakou from Togo, responsible for Agriculture, Environnement and Water Resources, Prof Hamidou Boly from Burkina Faso, responsible for Education, Culture, Science and Technology and Allieu Sessay from Sierra Leone, who will handle Finance.

Others are Dr Antoinette Weeks from Liberia, in charge of Infrastructure, Mamadou Traore from Mali, responsible for Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research, Halima Ahmed from Nigeria, with the Political Affairs, Peace and Security portfolio and Laouali Chaïbou from Niger handling Trade, Customs and Free Movement.

 

The Vice-President, Edward David Singhatey is from the Gambia.

ECOWAS tasks journalists on regional integration

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Pic 1The Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency, Edward Singhatey has charged journalists from across the West African region to be conscious of the link between stability, economic development and integration as they carry out their role of adequately reporting ECOWAS news and events in the region.

Vice President Singhatey stated this in Abuja on the 31st of May 2016 at an interactive session with selected young media practitioners who were at the ECOWAS Commission for the Get to Know ECOWAS Programme. He urged the journalists on the need to be alive to trans-national issues of the co-existence of states, also charged them to be more forceful in the reportage of the integration agenda of the regional organization.

Intimating the journalists with some of the strides made by ECOWAS even as the organization is on the verge of rolling out more programmes geared towards effective integration, he cited the ECOWAS biometric card system, trans-national road and rail infrastructure, trade liberalization and greater cooperation and understanding among contiguous states as some of examples in this regard. Pic 2

Vice President Singhatey then fielded questions from journalists on a cross section of issues including the procedure of bringing up cases at the ECOWAS court of justice, institutional reforms, the conditions that warrants ECOWAS’ intervention in member states at periods of political turmoil, the various programmes aimed at poverty reduction in the region as well as the collaboration with the development partners.

The journalists were also put through a variety of trainings with a study tour of the Nigerian National Communications Commission (NCC) for an exposition on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a means of integrating people across West Africa, digitization, Internet access and penetration, development of ICT Policy as well as postal and telecommunications issues

Specifically, the NCC’s Departmental Directors supported the Head, Human Capital Mr. Mathew Maganda, to give presentations on the dynamics and challenges in regulating the telecoms industry, the role of corporate law and strategy, licensing procedure as well as the role of the NCC in the enhancement of the ICT landscape in Nigeria, among others.

49th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government

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