Niamey (Niger), July 7, 2020 – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Sub-Regional Office for West Africa, organized a virtual meeting on Monday with the Bureau of the Twenty-Second Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts and Senior Officers (ICE) for West Africa.
This meeting, which is part of the sustained commitment of the ECA Office in West Africa to the Member States, was intended to update and seek advice from the Bureau in the implementation of the 22nd ICE recommendations including the preparation of the 23rd Session.
It was chaired by the Chairman of the Bureau of the 22nd ICE, Mr. Benedict Kolubah, Vice-Minister of Finance of Liberia, in the presence of the Vice-Chairman, Mr. Sanjo Faniran, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning of Nigeria and the Secretary, Mr. Rock Comahoue, who is in charge of monitoring cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank and Arab funds at the Ministry of Planning of Benin and the Director of the ECA Sub-Regional Office for West Africa, Ngone Diop.
In her introductory note, the Director of the Sub-Regional Office for West Africa of ECA stated that this meeting was intended to take stock of technical support to countries and regional economic communities, to present the status of the implementation of the recommendations of the 22nd ICE and to identify an option and a date for holding the 23rd Session. After addressing the situation of COVID-19 in Africa in general and in West Africa in particular, Ngone Diop explained that, as part of the response to this pandemic, the ECA organised several high-level virtual meetings with African Finance Ministers and carried out a study on the socio-economic impact of the disease on African countries.
The Bureau welcomed the sustained efforts of the ECA in its support to countries, including the smooth implementation of the recommendations of the 22nd ICE as well as its support to countries for an appropriate response to COVID-19. The last week of November 2020 was proposed for the ICE in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Intergovernmental Committee of Experts and Senior Officers meets annually with high-level decision-makers from member States to discuss economic and social performance and make subsequent recommendations. The Committee is also the statutory framework reserved for member States to oversee the development and implementation of the Office’s work programme and monitor its activities. The ICE provides guidance for the Office's programmes by ensuring that sub regional priorities are included as much as possible. It also makes recommendations on economic and social development issues in the sub region. These recommendations may, as appropriate, be considered by the annual Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
For more information, please contact: Tahirou Gouro, Communications Officer, ECA- SRO/WA,
Email: gouro2@un.org
Sub-Regional Office for West Africa
428 Avenue du Fleuve Niger
B.P. 744
Niamey, Niger