....lies in the integration of its markets

The Executive Secretary of ECOWAS has stressed that socio-economic transformation of ECOWAS states lies in the integration of its markets.

Dr Ibn Chambas, the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS made the observation in an answer to a question during an interview with the media in London.

He said "African countries cannot continue to adopt individualistic approach to development while countries in the developed world are forming regional blocks in order to widen the scope of their economic ventures for sustainable development".

The Executive Secretary called for commitment from heads of members states to push forward the agenda for the New Partnership for African development (NEPAD) by improving governance through the evolvement of systems based on democratic principles and respect for human rights.

Dr. Chambas emphasised that the realisation of the objectives of the Africa Union and NEPAD initiatives would depend to a large extent on the success of integration programmes in the five sub-regional groupings in Africa, such as the MAGREB UNION, SADC, ECOWAS, COMSEA.

He therefore called on African leaders particularly those in the West Africa sub-region to show the necessary political will by removing barriers to free movement of people and goods in order to facilitate trade in a common market of over two hundred million people.

The Executive Secretary urged governments of members states to commit themselves to the generation of economic opportunities for their people's by evolving viable projects in partnership with the private sector.

"We need to urgently build systems that would enable us to exploit the resources of the sub-region for the benefit of our peoples" , Dr. Chambas said.

He said that the introduction of a single currency for the sub-region remains a central focus of the organisation and urged all states to endeavor to meet the convergence criteria by the set date.

On the impending general elections in Sierra Leone, the Executive Secretary expressed satisfaction with the electoral process so far and hoped that the exercise will be successful.

" ECOWAS and the entire International community will work together with which ever government that emerges to maintain peace and reconstruct the country", he said.

Dr. Chambas praised President Kufuor for reaching across the political divide to nominate him for the position of Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, and called for more of such "confidence-building" gestures in the political arena to enable Ghanaians accept multi-party democracy as a viable and credible system of governance.