By Olimatou Coker
The Ecowas National Office (ENO), under the ministry of trade, recently organised a 2-day Sectoral Programme Committee (SPC) meeting at Baobab Holiday Resort.
The meeting brought together stakeholders to provide an update on the implementation of Ecowas programs and projects to ensure effective collaboration in the regional integration process and strengthen the Ecowas programs at the national level.
The committee also serves as a platform for the Ecowas National Office to get updates for more effective execution of its mandate as the link between the Ecowas Commission and The Gambia while coordinating, facilitating, and monitoring Ecowas projects, programs, and activities at the national level.
Ndey Tabara Touray-Sowe, Director of Regional Integration (MoTIE), said it is an activity under regional integration programs, and these programs are pivotal for fostering economic growth, enhancing cooperation, and promoting stability within regions. The sector-programme committee, in particular, she added, plays a crucial role in addressing the unique needs of various sectors and ensuring that integration efforts translate into tangible benefits for all stakeholders involved.
“The committee often focusses on key sectors such as health, education, agriculture, energy, technology, standards, immigration, police, NDMA, competition, trade facilitation, early warning, and gender, to name but a few. By targeting these areas, we can leverage regional resources and expertise to stimulate economic growth,” she said.
She added that the meeting is not only about informing participants on what sectors are doing but also builds their capacities and creates a platform for them to share knowledge.
“The SPC allows us to facilitate training, provide technical or financial assistance, and facilitate knowledge exchange among stakeholders as well as address common challenges. It also helps us in terms of monitoring and evaluation to ensure that Ecowas activities and programs achieve their intended outcomes.”
She said the SPC is a vital component of the regional integration strategies as it addresses the unique needs of various sectors and fosters cooperation across borders.
Lamin Manneh, the public health emergency operations centre manager at the ministry of health, said they have also conducted trainings on incident management systems, integrated disease surveillance, and laboratory training with the support of the SPC.
