The ECOWAS Parliament meeting currently going on in Guinea Bissau is focused primarily on finding ways towards ameliorating the effect of the food crisis currently rocking most part of the region as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawmakers’ delocalized meeting with the theme ” Agricultural Production and Food Security in ECOWAS region under Covid-19 pandemic” is scheduled to begin from November 10 to 13th in Bissau, the capital of Guinea Bissau.
The Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA) said over 17 million people in the Sahel and West Africa (7.1 million in Nigeria alone) need food and nutritional assistance during the pandemic. It adds that combined impact of violent insecurity and COVID-19 could put more than 50 million other people across the region at risk of food and nutrition crisis.
Speaker ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Mohammed Tunis, who led a delegation of members of the Parliament for a courtesy visit to the President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Embalo, said Guinea Bissau was chosen for the meeting because it is believed to be stable.
“As you all are aware, Covid-19 has had very negative effects on food production, which is threatening food security in the region. So, we will have experts on Covid-19 and also experts from the Commission on agriculture that will explain to all of us especially for the benefit of the People of Guinea Bissau where we are as a region regarding food security and where we are regarding the fight against Covid-19.
“We will have the Director General of the West African Health Organization (WAHO) who is championing the fight against Covid-19 and other stakeholders who will present their expertise on behalf of the people of West Africa,” Tunis said.
In response, President Embalo welcomed the delegation to Guinea Bissau and gave assurance that his government would make the mission to Bissau a success.
He stressed the importance of the support of ECOWAS during the period of political transformation the country and said his administration would strive to maintain stability in his country.
“These are very important times and I am committed to getting everything right.”
“I am also sure that our political leaders, civil society, partners and all others are resolved to getting it right for the sake of Guinea Bissau”, President Embalo noted.
The President indicated that he had begun a national dialogue in the country and is very confident that Guinea Bissau is on its way to becoming a great country.
“Consistent with the tenants of Democracy, we have instituted a constitution reform and the ECOWAS Commission has been informed of the process”, he disclosed.
The President then expressed his support for a stronger ECOWAS and wished the Parliament well during their stay in Bissau.
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