Monrovia – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Friday, June 17, 2016 received the New President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Marcel Alain DE Souza at her Foreign Ministry Office in Monrovia. The two ECOWAS Officials met behind closed door, followed by a meeting that involved officials from both sides.
According to an Executive Mansion release, Mr. DE Souza is in the country to brief the Liberian leader on the activities of the ECOWAS Commission, and while in Liberia will also meet Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Foreign Minister Marjon V. Kamara, Finance and Development Planning Minister Boima Kamara, Health Ministry officials, African Ambassadors accredited near Monrovia, among others. He will also visit and inspect ongoing works at the Mount Coffee Hydro and the White Plains Water Treatment Plant.
During his meeting with President Sirleaf, Mr. DE Souza briefed the Liberian leader about the activities of the ECOWAS Commission, discussed operational and procedural matters as well as matters particular to Liberia and ECOWAS. He particularly acquainted President Sirleaf with the status of several of a number of ECOWAS Community Development Projects in the areas of transportation, healthcare, energy, agriculture among others with support from the African Development Bank, adding over 300 projects are earmarked.
Mr. DE Souza also informed President Sirleaf on efforts to roll out the regional body’s Post-Ebola Recovery Plan under the chairmanship of the President of Togo and a major road project under ECOWAS Infrastructure Program that runs through Lagos and Dakar and into Kenya.
He pledged his commitment and cooperation to President Sirleaf as the new Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, noting that the Commission will work with President to move the regional body forward. The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Marcel Alain DE Souza also updated the President Sirleaf on the various crisis situations in the region including Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria and reiterated the regional body’s resolve and commitment towards finding lasting settlement. He committed the Commission to sustaining the fight against terrorism in the region and pledged to work with President Sirleaf and her colleagues to achieve same.
For her part, President Sirleaf welcomed Mr. DE Souza to Liberia and congratulated him for the ascendency as President of the ECOWAS Commission. She named peace and security to include the fight against terrorism, integration, enhancing financial probity and viability of ECOWAS, improved consultations with the Commission and leaders of the Authority, among others as key priorities to be tackled in collaboration and in consultation with her colleagues.
President Sirleaf emphasized the need for ECOWAS to focus on cost reduction and improvement in community levy as a way of enhancing the financial and economic viability of the organization and renewed Liberia’s commitment to the goals and ideals of ECOWAS. The two ECOWAS leaders also addressed a joint press conference, highlighting the nature of the visit of the Commission’s President to Liberia.
The ECOWAS Commission’s delegation included its President, H.E. Marcel Alain DE Souza, the Special Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission in Liberia, Ambassador Tunde Ajisomo, Mr. Stephen Nartey, Commissioner for General Administration and Conferences, Ambassador Abel Agbeleo, Director of Cabinet and Dr. Antoinette Weeks, Commissioner for Infrastructure.