A mark of honour which His Excellency Jean Claude Kassi Brou was highly delighted to re-ceive. «I feel greatly honoured and extremely delighted to receive this distinction which I have just received from His Excellency. Mr President of the Republic…I wish to avail my-self of this opportunity to convey my heartfelt gratitude to the President of the Republic for this recognition.».« … our region, which had been on a strong economic pedestal for some years now, was suddenly hit with the Covid-19 pandemic with its attendant human, health, economic and commercial consequences. Covid has led not only led to a down-ward slide in economic activities but also financial crisis. This meeting with H.E. the President of the Republic of Senegal has provided an opportunity for us to assess the status of decisions made by the Heads of State. Also you are all aware that the region has been hit by a great turbulence. This is of course the security situation particularly in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin which is equally affecting our countries on a three-fold scale – economic, humanitarian and financial. We also have a number of decisions taken by the Heads of State. You would agree with me that this is a good opportunity to present the status of implementation of these decisions to the President of Senegal.», stated the ECOWAS Commission’s President, on his way out of the meeting.

H.E. Jean Claude Kassi Brou also indicated that his mission in Senegal is in line with prepara-tions for the forthcoming Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government on Covid. For the the ECOWAS Commission’s President, the on-going vaccination campaign in several coun-tries of the sub-region, is the best solution to ending the crisis.

« We strongly hope and wish that the pace of the vaccination which commenced several months ago in many of our countries through the COVAX Initiative, will be sustained and increased so that our countries will meet the conditions for economic recovery, given that only growth can provide employment, create economic and financial stability as well as pave the way for economic progress in the region.».

The delegation of the ECOWAS Commission’s President comprised Mr Tei Konzi, Commissioner for Trade, Customs and Free Movement of persons, Mrs Sandra Oulate, Director of Communi-cation and Mr Kadja Eugène Etche, Executive Assistant of the Commission’s President.