The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Plan International, an International Non-Governmental Organization have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding in which the two bodies agreed to work together to address issues affecting girls and young women especially in the West Africa region for another period of three years (2024 –2027).
The new MoU replaces an earlier one which was also for three years.
At the signing ceremony which took place on Wednesday, November 21, 2024, at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, the President of the Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray said that the new MoU “seeks to strengthen the collaboration between the Commission and Plan International”. He said further that the track record of the collaboration between the two bodies speaks for itself.
“We have been working together for several years, with a lot of documents and protocols that have been developed together, validated and some of them being implemented.” Touray said.
He advised that while the new MoU seeks to strengthen the relationship already existing, “collaboration should focus more on implementing what is on the ground. We have developed together a lot of instruments, and a lot of resources. When they are fully implemented, they can help in addressing some of the challenges our communities are facing”.
The Regional Director of Plan International for West and Central Africa region, Alasan Senghore, who signed on behalf of Plan International applauded ECOWAS for their continuous support towards the empowerment of girls, women, and young people in the region and assured him of Plan International commitment to the MoU’s mandate.
The new three-year MoU according to Senghore “will enable both ECOWAS and Plan International to focus more on delivering results for the benefit of women and girls in the region. We look forward to this partnership enhancing the prospect of results in the efforts at resolving issues affecting girls”.
This MoU, covers an agreement on the implementation of earlier commitments and resources developed from the previous MoU. It also covers commitments to work on other areas in agriculture, economy, education and technology. The new MoU also commits to addressing cultural issues that impact on girls, young women and women’s rights as well as joint programmes on cross-border issues.
