The Sierra Leone Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Melrose Karminty, has welcomed the operationalisation of the Economic Community of West African States Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), describing it as a major step toward strengthening regional integration and citizen participation across West Africa.
Speaking in an interview after a stakeholder meeting on ECOWAS–ECOSOC held in Accra, the Minister said the initiative would deepen cooperation among member states and ensure that civil society organisations play a stronger role in shaping regional policies.
According to her, the operationalisation of ECOSOC is an important milestone that will support not only trade integration but also the free movement of people and collaboration among West African countries.
The Minister noted that the region cannot achieve meaningful economic integration without improving the ability of citizens to move freely across borders.
This is a fantastic move by ECOWAS and the operationalisation of ECOSOC means a lot to us. Not only trade, but many other things that bring us together as a people, including the movement of our citizens, will benefit from this initiative,” she said.
She further indicated that implementation of the ECOSOC framework would begin immediately after the stakeholder engagements, with a structured three-year plan already in place.
The Sierra Leone minister disclosed that a budget had been secured for the initiative and called on governments, development partners and civil society organisations to support the process.
After this meeting we are starting. We have a three-year plan and everything is in place, including the budget. We are calling on everyone to support this because this is our own community where we can discuss our issues and chart the way forward,” she added.
Touching on the role of civil society organisations, the Minister explained that ECOWAS member states already have established networks of civil society groups that will continue to be engaged in the process.
She emphasised that these organisations understand the challenges within the region and must remain part of discussions on democracy, peace, unity and regional development.
Background
The Economic Community of West African States is a 15-member regional bloc established in 1975 to promote economic integration, peace and development across West Africa. As part of efforts to strengthen citizen participation in regional governance, ECOWAS is operationalising its Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a platform designed to bring together civil society organisations, professional bodies, labour groups and other stakeholders to contribute to policy discussions.
The council is expected to provide structured engagement between governments and non-state actors on key issues such as trade integration, democratic governance, peacebuilding and regional cooperation.
The stakeholder meeting in Accra forms part of consultations aimed at finalising the framework for ECOSOC’s implementation across ECOWAS member states.
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