A news release from ECOWAS, made available to PANA here on Saturday, stated that among the measures agreed at a tripartite meeting of heads of ECOWAS national units, their counterparts responsible for small arms and officials from the ECOWAS
Commission, was to develop an integrated communication system between commission and member states through the creation of databases and a dedicated window on the ECOWAS website for small arms-related issues.
The four-day meeting, called to agree a mechanism for improving communication for the effective coordination of the implementation of ECOWAS programmes also recommended the establishment of a consultative framework to improve coordination am o ng the institutions involved.
Participants called for the clarification of the mandates of the national units and the national commissions responsible for the control of small arms, to eliminate the possibility of friction.
It was agreed that regular meetings should be organised to facilitate the exchange of perspectives between the national units and other structures responsible for the implementation of ECOWAS sectoral programmes.
In order to improve the effectiveness of the implementation structures, the meeting agreed on the need for sustained capacity building support for the national commissions responsible for the control of small arms and the National Units as well as the provision of material, financial and otherwise, that will improve their capacity to meet the expectations of the ECOWAS Commission.
In addition, it suggested regular exchange of information and data among the stakeholders while national units should be involved in formulating national action plans on small arms and light weapons to enable them provide a perspective that will contribute to successful implementation of the action plans.
The meeting further suggested the establishment of monitoring mechanisms for the implementation of ECOWAS programmes at the national level that will help galvanize all the officials responsible for the implementation of such programmes.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Jean de Dieu Somda underscored the importance of the inaugural meeting, noting that it was the first time that all structures responsible for the implementation of ECOWAS programmes were meeting to define their collaboration and coordinate their efforts.
Somda urged the meeting to address different themes and issues ranging from understanding the mandates and functioning of the structures, to defining efficient means of coordination.
The vice president stressed the need to consider the potential contribution of the various actors to the ratification of the Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons and its implementation, as well as the institutionalisation of the various structures for its proper functioning.
In his opening statement, Mr. Vincent Zakane, representing the Burkinabe Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation responsible for Regional Cooperation, said that by convening the meeting, ECOWAS was encouraging a participatory approach to the realisation of its vision of transforming the organisation into a people-oriented institution by 2020.
He stressed that this would enable member states to take ownership of the region al programmes and called for a flexible coordination mechanism among the institutions to facilitate the implementation of ECOWAS programmes at national level.
Lagos - 14/02/2009
Pana
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