Directorate Of Financial Reporting and Grants of ECOWAS Commission Organizes a One Week Workshop on Donor Reporting System with All ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies Across the Community in Lome, Togo

ECOWAS receive its funding from member states and a variety of Development partners, making it accountable to both parties. This calls for accountability in the management of funds received in accordance with international best practices.

As it stands, ECOWAS manages Grants with pre-determined reporting formats depending on the Development Partner’s requirement. Once ECOWAS internal processes and procedures become fully compliant with international best practices, it would be directly managing Development Partners funds. The ECOWAS Financial Regulation made provisions to institute appropriate policies, guidelines, and procedures for managing all external funds received from its Development Partners

Also, in a bid to improve on communication and reporting with our Development Partners  it is very important that all departments and staff responsible for Grants management in all Institutions and Agencies across ECOWAS are knowledgeable to Donor’s reporting system for transparency and accountability.

The aim of this workshop, therefore, is to improve capacities for the effective and efficient conduct of Grants operations within the ECOWAS Commission, Institutions and Agencies with emphasis on improved compliance with Grants Agreements and reduction in the incidence of ineligible expenditures.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Director, Financial Reporting and Grants, Mr. Ahmadou Oury BALDE , welcomed the participants to the workshop and indicated that this is the very first edition of this Donor Reporting System workshop. He further stated that the purpose of this workshop is to share experiences and challenges in Donor reporting system and to agree on a common approach for reporting on external funds for all ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies. He said the workshop is intended to develop and maintain a uniform template for reporting Inflows and Direct Payments and other financial aspects.

In his opening remarks, the Commissioner of Internal Service, Prof. Nazifi Abudllahi DARMA thanked all present and stated that this workshop was the first Coordination meeting of all External Funds Management units from all Institutions and Agencies which is aimed at

synchronizing the accounts to enhance accountability and mobilization of funds to sustain the inflows to ECOWAS.

He stated that as managers of funds from the Development Partners, there is need to ensure strict compliance with the Agreement to attract more funds. To this end, he emphasized the need for implementation of key recommendations to ensure compliance with Development Partners terms necessary to appeal and further increase funding from them.

Finally, he advised that communication and reporting system to the Development Partners is sacrosanct to sustained inflow of funds to the Community.