President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged African leaders to continue to work on the production of Covid-19 vaccines for their citizens as supplies received by African countries so far remain woefully insufficient.
“We need, as a Community, to contribute to the global discourse on access and availability of vaccines for all the peoples of the world.
Through the COVAX initiative, all the countries in the Region have taken delivery of some vaccines, supplemented by direct procurement by some Member States.
I thank foreign friends of the Community who have contributed to funding the initiative. We note, however, that the quantities received are woefully insufficient. We must, thus, continue to work on the purchase and production of vaccines in our Region”, the President stated.
He said, there was the need to encourage Members of the ECOWAS States, including Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana, which were making the effort to produce their own vaccines.
“We cannot afford to be naked the next time”, he stressed. President Akufo-Addo, who is also the Chair of the ECOWAS Authority, was addressing the 59th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, on Saturday June 19th, 2021, in Accra.“
One issue of concern for all of us has to do with the pandemic of COVID-19, which continues to ravage the world and our Region.
The strong measures taken at national and regional levels, since the outbreak of the pandemic, have enabled us to contain and mitigate, with the blessing of the Almighty, its impact in our respective countries, the tragic deaths we have recorded, notwithstanding.
Terrorism.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the ECOWAS region continues to battle serious security challenges with deadly terrorist attacks and kidnappings in the frontline countries, namely Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Niger, and the coastal countries of the Region, such as Cote d’Ivoire, where recent terrorist attack resulted in the death of some 132 civilians, including children on June 5, 2021.
“Excellencies, these developments should reinforce our collective commitment to pursue and implement, with renewed vigor, the decisions taken at our Extraordinary Summit on Terrorism on 14th September 2019.
This concerted effort, which must be a major issue and a priority objective for the Community, is the best way for us to address this security challenge.It is a matter of dignity and sovereignty, which affects all nations in the Region.
None of our countries is insulated from the threats of terrorism”, he stated.
The ECOWAS Chair, also called for some stringent measures to be taken to address growing threat to maritime security in the Region.
“Acts of piracy and maritime destabilisation are on the rise in the Gulf of Guinea, thus affecting trade in our Community, and increasing the cost of imported products.
“We must operationalise the maritime centres we have established in the Region, and agree on the way forward to combat these acts of piracy. We cannot hand over control of the Gulf to pirates”, he stressed.
UN Security Council
The President, expressed his appreciation to ECOWAS Member States and all AU Member States, for the support of Ghana’s recent successful candidature for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the years 2022-2023.“Ghana received the highest number of votes on the day, i.e.,185 out 190 votes.
It would not have been possible without your active support. I assure you, Excellencies, that Ghana will make sure that Africa’s voice is heard loud and clear in the deliberations of the Security Council, both on matters affecting our Region and the Continent, and on global issues, and we will consult broadly to define Africa’s interests.
He said, Africa’s Common Position on UN Reform, based on the Ezulwini Consensus, is one matter Ghana is determined to urge on the global agenda.
“We will work to solicit the backing of countries around the world for this long, overdue reform. We believe it is time to correct the longstanding injustice that the current structure and composition of the UN Security Council represents for the nations of Africa”, he assured.
Institutional Reform
In February, 2021, President Akufo-Addo, was entrusted with the task of leading the reformation of the ECOWAS Organisation, to improve the performance and operational efficiency of ECOWAS Institutions, in order to ensure the implementation of Integration programmes for the economic and social development of the Region.
He explained that the reform is focused on the optimal structure of the Commission and other Institutions, on modalities for the allocation of statutory positions, and on streamlining ECOWAS’ operating costs.
“These were the subjects of several meetings at the ministerial level, and their conclusions will be presented to us for our adoption or otherwise during our Closed Session”, he said.
He stated further that, as part of the consolidation of the Organisation’s solidarity and in pursuant to the decision taken at its last Extraordinary Summit, the Members would consider, for adoption, a rotation mechanism that would enable the various linguistic groups of its Community and each Member State a fair, orderly opportunity to lead and represent the Community in regional, continental and global affairs.
Also high on the Agenda, is the political situation in Mali, which according to the President, would be extensively discussed with a view to assessing the progress made since last decisions at the Emergency Summit held in Accra, on May 30,2021 when Mali was suspended from ECOWAS, pending the restoration of democratic rule. Regional Integration
President Akufo-Addo, urged member countries to work towards achieving a strong economic growth, based on the construction of resilient economies.
“This requires that we strengthen our regional integration by pursuing the free movement of goods and people, and the development of our economic infrastructure and our human capital bases.Work on the Community’s single currency must also continue.
According to our programme, the new convergence pact and the new roadmap for its implementation will be submitted for adoption during this Summit.
In this regard, the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), on 1st January 2021, offers us a historic opportunity to enhance our levels of intra-regional trade, and inspire the momentum for rapid economic growth.
We have to rise to the occasion, and change our destiny”, he stated.
Source: MyPublisher24.com
