ABUJA-The ECOWAS Commission in Abuja disbursed N237.6 million EU donations to 17 regional civil society organisations.
Mr. Jean De Gien-Sondr, the Vice-President of the Commission, who announced the disbursement, advised the beneficiaries to use the funds judiciously on the intended projects.
Gien-Sondr, who represented by Mr. James Gbeho, ECOWAS President, said the non-state actors should use the grants to implement variety of actions to enhance citizens’ understanding of the regional integration.
He said the assistance was also made to create awareness among women traders and border agents about the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons and goods.
Gien-Sondr added that the groups were empowered to access the rights of establishment in order to build their capacity toward achieving a common custom union and other integration approaches.
“The commission hopes that the success of the pilot scheme will be an impetus for the EU to consider additional support to non-state actors in subsequent programmes,” he added.
Mr. Kazimierz Romanski, Deputy Head of Delegation, EU, said the Union considered the participation of the non-state actors in the regional integration process in West Africa, a priority.
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