The European Union maintains its commitment to security and resilience in West Africa

Today, Neven Mimica, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, signed four new projects with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). In this context, Commissioner Mimica said: ‘These projects, worth a total of EUR 88 million, will bolster security, facilitate trade and improve the resilience of the people of West Africa. These new programmes are essential in the current economic climate. They will support efforts already made by our partners to bolster security and support the economic development of the region. At the same time, they will also support important infrastructure projects made possible thanks to loan/grant blending instruments.'

This close cooperation and the joint actions already implemented characterise the relationship between the EU, ECOWAS and WAEMU. These programmes aim to provide solutions to regional problems in the areas of security, economic development and investments in infrastructure, while contributing to the resilience of the region and its people.

Firstly, the support project for the West African police information system WAPIS will be bolstered by EUR 25 million in additional support. The aim is to establish a more efficient exchange of information between the bodies tasked with making use of it and improve coordination between all stakeholders. This is crucial in order to tackle the criminal networks, terrorism and drug and human trafficking, currently affecting the stability of the region.

Secondly, also in the area of security, PESCAO, a programme to tackle illegal fishing, will receive EUR 15 million of EU funding. The project aims to strengthen the capacities of the different countries and regional bodies involved to coordinate more effectively. This dynamic should ensure more effective management of fish stocks, of which there is an abundance in West Africa but which are still largely under-exploited. This programme will thus allow fishing to contribute more to economic development and to the fight against food insecurity in West Africa.

Thirdly, the European Union will contribute to good economic governance in West Africa through the AFRITAC project (EUR 10 million), which aims to continue supporting the harmonisation of public finances, regional cooperation in the area of banking supervision and the improved administration of debt management frameworks at national level.

Finally, a regional programme of support for governance in the transport sector amounting to EUR 38 million will contribute to improving the flow of transport, reducing greenhouse gases, tackling climate change and supporting investments made possible by loan/grant blending.

Background:

These projects were signed at the 4th meeting of the Strategic Orientation Committee of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) for West Africa, organised by the European Union, ECOWAS and WAEMU. This meeting, attended by the region's National Authorising Officers, enabled important decisions to be made to further implement the Regional Indicative Programme of the 10th EDF and to implement the Regional Indicative Programme of the 11th EDF. The latter has a budget of EUR 1.150 billion for 2014-2020.

IP/17/1622