President Koroma and 11-man delegation arrive in Abuja for ECOWAS Summit
An eleven-man Sierra Leonean delegation has arrived in Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria Monday 15th February to attend the summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, scheduled for Tuesday 16th February at the ECOWAS Conference Center at Asokoro, Abuja. (Photo: President Ernest Bai Koroma in forefront, and Senator Bello J. Gada)
Led by Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma, other members of the delegation include Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Zainab Hawa Bangura, Northern Resident Minister Alie D. Kamara, Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Richard Konteh, and Presidential Press Secretary Sheka Tarawalie.
The delegation of President Ernest Bai Koroma will be joined by the Country’s Permanent Representative to the ECOWAS Mission, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria H.E Henry O. Macauley to participate in different sessions of the summit.
Tuesday’s summit will see the appointment of an ECOWAS Chairman who will preside over the affairs of the organization in 2010, consider the report of the Council of Ministers which took place in November 2009 in Abuja and the 2009 Annual Report of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, which focuses on the activities of the Commission for 2009 and the challenges in implementing the various Sectoral programmes.
It will also focus on the performance of the West African body during the period and its 2009 work programme, which is articulated around five priority areas, which include the completion of work on the creation of a customs union, negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA), the development of agricultural and environmental policies as well as peace and security.
The Council of Ministers’ report which includes recommendations to improve the efficacy of the various sectoral programmes, particularly in the areas of health, culture, the judiciary, telecommunications and ICT will be deliberated upon by Heads of State and Government.The summit will also consider the guidelines for the preparation of report on the ECOWAS multilateral surveillance mechanism relating to the ECOWAS monetary cooperation programme which main component is the creation of a single currency for the region.
The regional leaders are also expected to sign some supplementary Acts and decisions, to improve the areas of telecommunications and information, communication and technology (ICT) as well as facilitate the creation of a regional copyright observatory.
On arrival, President Ernest Bai Koroma and entourage, who arrived by one of Nigeria’s Presidential Jets, were received at the Presidential Lounge of the Nandi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, by Federal Minister of Culture and Tourism senator Bello J. Gada Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Permanent Representative to ECOWAS  H.E. Henry O Macauley and staff of the High Commission.
President Koroma was the fifth President to arrive in Abuja Nigeria after Gambia’s Vice President Haja, Dr. Isatou Njie- Saidy who is also the Hon. Minister of Women’s Affairs, President Blaise Campoare of Burkina Faso, His Excellency Reimundo Pereira of Cape Verde and His Excellency Mr. Pedro Pires of Guinea Bissau.
Pasco Gerald Temple, Information Attaché, Sierra Leone High Commission, Abuja, Nigeria & Sheka Tarawalie, Presidential Press SecretaryStay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
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