The Executive Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, has called on the members of ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organisation to constitute a special committee working in close collaboration with the Technical Committee on Financial Affairs and Resource Mobilisation of the regional body of Trade Promotion Organisations in West Africa to pursue alternative sources of funding for the Operationalization of the activities of the Network.
Mrs Nonye Ayeni who is the Head of the Secretariat of the Network made this known during the 6th Annual General Assembly of the Network in Dakar, Senegal. The Executive Director/ CEO who lead the Nigerian delegation to the AGM noted that the annual subscription of members of the Network alone would not be sufficient for the implementation of its core activities. She encouraged members to be more proactive and vigorous in delivering on the objectives and mandate of the Network. According to Ayeni, the annual assembly of members without any concrete achievements to report is not encouraging for trade and economic growth of the region.
The Annual General Assembly is the statutory meetings and convergence of all the Chief Executive Officers of Trade Promotion organisations in West Africa. It’s a regional body established in 2021 by the decision of the Council of Ministers of Industry, Trade & Investment at the 86th Ordinary Session to promote trade and regional integration. This year the Annual General Assembly witnessed the presence of eleven countries which includes the host country Senegal, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Cape Verde Benin and Ghana (virtual participation).
The 6th AGM also had in attendance the ECOWAS Commission who facilitated the meeting and representative of UEMOA, Mr. Robert Akinde. The International Trade Centre (ITC) joined virtually and made significant contributions on the need for the Network to leverage on AI technology for the Operationalization of its activities.
The climax of the 6th Annual General Assembly of the Network was the re-election of Dr. Edward Sandy of Sierra Leone and Dr. Kwoateng of Ghana as President and Vice President of the Network for another period of one year respectively.
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