Germany has granted the Economic Community of West African States the sum of €81 million to help address insecurity, infrastructure deficit, and climate change, among others.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, made the announcement at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, after receiving the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz.
Touray noted that the total grant support from Germany to the region amounts to €500 million in the last 10 years.
Touray said, “The grant will cover areas such as peaceful and inclusive society, climate and energy transition, sustainable and economic development, health, social protection, and population.
“These are important sectors and we appreciate Germany for their support.”
Touray also identified insecurity and infrastructure deficit as major challenges bedeviling the region, adding that ECOWAS and Germany are ready to address them.
“Your Excellency, during our discussion, we talked about the challenges that this region is facing such as insecurity, and infrastructure deficit,” Touray said. “We have agreed to continue working together.”
In his remarks, Scholz listed electricity, health, peace, and security as areas of partnership with ECOWAS.
“There are strategies that have been put in place to strengthen the partnership between Germany and ECOWAS.
“The situation of peace is very important. Times are turbulent and we are in full support of peace. We are not going to accept a military coup in the ECOWAS region,” Scholz stated.
