Accra, March 18, GNA - The Canadian Government is to provide Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with 4.5 million dollars to support the West Africa Sub-Region in conflict prevention, crisis management and peace building activities.

The amount, to span over a period of three years would also go to support a scholarship fund to enable West African civilians and military personnel to benefit from training for peace support operations at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra. A statement issued on Thursday from the Canadian High Commission in Accra to the Ghana News Agency said Busumuru Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General and the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Paul martin witnessed the signing of the agreement last week in Ottawa.

Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary, ECOWAS and Mr Aileesn Carroll, Canadian Minister for International Cooperation signed the agreement.

The statement quoted the Prime Minister as saying, "Canada's support to ECOWAS underscores our commitment to a full partnership with Africans to enhance African capacity to anticipate, manage and resolve conflicts and minimize the effects of conflict on individuals and communities. "ECOWAS has an important role to play in helping to defuse crisis and bringing stability to countries emerging from conflicts in West Africa," he said.

The statement said the project would also help establish a unit that would work to stop the flow of small weapons into and across borders in countries in the Sub-Regional as well as create a mission planning and management unit that would monitor the security situation. "This project is part of the Canada-West Africa Peace and Security Initiative (PSI), which was announced at the G8 Summit in June 2002 as part of the Canada Fund for Africa," it quoted the Canadian High Commissioner, Mr Jean-Pierre.

He said the Canada Fund was intended to support the objectives of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and G8 Africa Action Plan. 18 Mar. 04