Africa
CABO Verde has already transferred its Community Levy to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and is committed to resolving the issue.
This is one of the announcements made on Thursday 16 January 2025 during a courtesy visit to Abuja, Nigeria, by the Cabo Verde Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Belarmino Monteiro Silva, to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray.
Aside the payment of the Community Levy by his country to the regional organisation, Silva also informed his host of the current state of the Cabo Verdean economy, the peaceful conduct of municipal elections in 2024 and the holding of legislative and presidential elections in Cabo Verde in 2026.
Other issues discussed by the Cabo Verdean diplomat with Touray included the forthcoming launch of the activities of the ECOWAS Early Warning Centre in Praia, the Cabo Verdean capital, and the recent launch of the Praia-Dakar-Banjul maritime link for an experimental period of six months, designed to promote trade between the States of these three capitals.
He commented on the current political and security situation in the region, and condemned the recent acts of terrorism in Nigeria and Benin.
Silva praised the efforts made by Touray to achieve the objectives of ECOWAS.
Despite the challenges and difficulties, we will do our utmost during our term of office to work for the development of the ECOWAS region,’ said Touray. ‘We cannot achieve anything if we are alone. Alone, we are vulnerable, but together, we have huge advantages’, he said.
The president of the ECOWAS Commission praised the successful holding of the 2024 municipal elections in Cabo Verde and congratulated the people and government of Cabo Verde for their maturity in ensuring the peaceful conduct of these elections.
He reiterated ECOWAS’ commitment to supporting Cabo Verde in the organisation of its legislative and presidential elections in 2026.
He expressed his satisfaction at the arrangements made by the Cabo Verdean authorities for the launch of the activities of the ECOWAS Early Warning Centre in Praia and the payment of the Community Levy by Cabo Verde.
In his view, the security situation in the region is a cause for concern, and collective efforts are needed to deal with it.
Touray was joined at the meeting by his director of Cabinet, Abdou Kolley, and the director of External Relations of the ECOWAS Commission, Jérôme Boa.
19th January, 2024.
C.E.
Tags:
