Africa, BREAKING NEWS
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DESIRE Ouédraogo, president of the ECOWAS Commission, was on Thursday, February 18, honoured with the rank of Commander of the National Order of the Lion in the Senegalese capital Dakar. Macky Sall, Senegalese head of state, current Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Regional organisation bestowed the high recognition on him for the numerous dedicated services he rendered to the West African Community during his four-year tenure as the Head of the ECOWAS Commission.
The Senegalese Head of State made it known that during the term in office of the President of the Commission; significant progress was achieved mainly in the area of Peace and Security, as well as in the field economic integration in the West African Region
“I congratulate you for the excellent work you accomplished work you did and also for the progress you made during your tenure for the success of ECOWAS, your competence is well known by all the Community’s Heads of State and your acknowledged successes for ECOWAS. Indeed, we consider your tenure an extremely short one for us but such is the life of every Institution. On behalf of all the Community’s Heads of State and Government, I congratulate you and also it is my pleasure in this farewell visit, to bring to your notice, the appreciation of the entire Community for the tremendous job you have executed” said Sall.
In the course of the farewell visit, the President of the Commission expressed appreciation to the Senegalese Head of State for the personal support he received from him and also for the great progress recorded by West African Community during his tenure as the Chair of the regional organisation.
Ouédraogo specifically pointed out the important resolution of major political crises which shook the ECOWAS Region, the completion of the Economic Partnership agreement Negotiation, EPA, between West Africa and European Union as well as the adoption of the October 25, 2013’s ECOWAS Common External Tariff (ECOWAS/CET) in Dakar under the supervision of Macky Sall.
Ouédraogo thanked the Senegalese Head of State for his acceptance in the rank of the Commander of the National Order of Lion. He dedicated his recognition to all the Staff of the ECOWAS for their commitment to duty in view of the achievement of the community objective.
“I wish to express my appreciation for this recognition which you granted me in all friendliness. This recognition, I dedicate to all the staff of the Community’s Institution who works in support of Integration in West Africa. I am ever indebted to you and I acknowledge recognition of all the Staff of ECOWAS Institution for all your input for Regional integration”, said Ouédraogo.
Ouédraogo was decorated by Sall on the occasion of his retirement from four years in office as the President of the ECOWAS Commission.
When asked about his record, by the First Station of the Radio diffusion and Television Senegalese, RTS, Ouédraogo extolled his effort which aims at strengthening Regional Integration reminding them that this is a task that never ends.
“Everyone should come up with his contribution and pass on the torch to the others. I am honoured to have been privileged to work for our Region in this high degree of responsibility. And I hope that all the West African populace must be proud of the result which I left behind and which is not my personal record but that of the whole Institution of the Community. We must have the heart to continue to consolidate and especially quicken the pace of our Regional Integration in order to participate in the African Continent Unification», Mr. Ouédraogo said
Elected in February 2012, Ouédraogo succeeded the Ghanaian Diplomat James Victor Gbeho and took over the leadership of the ECOWAS Commission on the 1st of March 2012.
Former Burkina Faso’ Prime Minister, Former Vice Governor of the West African State Central Bank and Former Executive Assistant Secretary of ECOWAS, Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo also served as his country’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union.
— Feb 23, 2016 @ 14:25 GMT
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