The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth 2.5 million euros with Spain to help create 90 school canteens to safely feed 23,860 pupils in Nigeria and other West African countries.
In a press release published on the ECOWAS website on Wednesday, the MoU aims to strengthen the ECOWAS institutions and sustain an agricultural revolution in the region.
The MoU was signed when a delegation of Spanish officials led by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, Diego Martinez Belío, visited the ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray at the regional bloc’s headquarters in Abuja.
Regional development
Belío said the memorandum of understanding which includes a voluntary contribution of 2.565 million euros will fast-track the development of an innovative regional school feeding program among ECOWAS member states, which Nigeria is a part of.
The envoy added that the funds will support the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA) in the implementation of the revised food security strategy.
- “This will enable the creation of 90 school canteens to safely feed 23,860 pupils, mainly in rural and cross-border areas of ECOWAS,” Belío said.
The agreement also featured the launch of the Women, Peace, and Security program and the official launch of Spanish language training for ECOWAS staff.
Speaking at the event, Alieu Touray thanked Spain for supporting the bloc’s plan to develop energy infrastructures, agriculture, and gender issues.
- He reminded stakeholders “that all actions must be governed by a strengthening of programs promoting peace and security in the region because peace and security are the conditions for stability and sustainable development in the ECOWAS region.”
More Insights
- The Spanish-ECOWAS relations have been on for several years with commitments toward peace and security.
- Over 182 million euros has been disbursed by Spain to ECOWAS since the 22nd of June 2009.
- The bloc was created in 1975 to promote economic integration across the region.
