ECOWAS Executive Secretariat Institutional Capacity Building

Overall results achieved from the technical assistance (2006-2012): The recruitment and training of 6 key staff within the Finance and Administration Commission and the implementation of new internationally accepted human resources procurement and accounting procedures and methods have resulted in increasing the management capacity of the Commission. This in turn has contributed to a better positioning of the ECOWAS with respect to international standards in procurement human resources and financial management. This improvement helps build its authority as a Regional Economic Community. Results from the pool fund achieved in 2010 2011 & 2012: The dialogue with Member States and key stakeholders that led to identify priorities in regional policies for economic growth and resources needs in West Africa has resulted in elaborating a new ECOWAS Strategic Plan and a Medium-Term Regional Action Plan used by the Commission and its Member States as the framework to promote citizen ownership of the ECOWAS 2020 Vision. The recruitment of 4 economists to harmonize regional policies the implementation of a database to monitor the economic situation and the training of 130 economists from the 15 Member States of the ECOWAS in macroeconomic analysis and simulation have strengthened the capacity of ECOWAS and Member States for the socioeconomic analysis and planning. This has resulted in the development of 15 national socioeconomic models that will serve to prioritize plan and conduct impact assessments. In the medium term these quantitative and long-term planning models will contribute to strengthening the consistency of programs projects and development policies within the ECOWAS Region in view of accelerating and deepening the regional economic integration.