A four-day meeting is currently underway in Accra, Ghana, where key stakeholders from ECOWAS member states are gathering to finalize a draft manual for implementing the Community Levy Protocol.
The protocol is a vital source of revenue for ECOWAS, funding 75-80% of its programs and activities.
According to Molokwu Azikiwe, Director of Budget and Treasury at the ECOWAS Commission, the manual is crucial for ensuring strict compliance with the protocol's provisions.
The document is of utmost importance to guide all stakeholders involved in implementing the Community Levy Protocol, ensuring strict compliance with its provisions," Azikiwe emphasized.
The Community Levy Protocol was adopted in 1996, with implementation starting in 2003. A supplementary act was adopted in 2021 to update and improve the protocol. The new manual aims to provide step-by-step procedures and processes for implementing the protocol, reducing ambiguity and noncompliance.
The meeting brings together representatives from central banks, ECOWAS national offices, ministries of finance, and customs authorities from each member state.
The Community Levy is a 0.5% levy on all goods imported from non-ECOWAS countries, with revenue accruing to ECOWAS. The objective of the meeting is to finalize the draft manual and ensure all member states agree on its provisions and implementation guidelines. The Community Levy is essential for financing ECOWAS institutions and activities, promoting regional integration and cooperation. It also ensures that the financial burden is shared equally among member states, and it supports a wide range of programs, including economic development, regional security, peacekeeping efforts, and humanitarian interventions.
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