The ECOWAS Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations undertook key engagements towards fostering collaboration and strengthening humanitarian support for the ECOWAS region during a week of substantive diplomatic engagements, from the 18th to the 24th of October 2023.

At the start of these engagements, on the 18th of October,  Ambassador Kinza Jawara Njai, the Permanent Observer representing ECOWAS at the United Nations, met with Ms. Sophie Garde Thomle, the Deputy Director of OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) in charge of the West African region. This high-level meeting delved into discussions on OCHA’s initiatives in the ECOWAS region with a focus on strengthening humanitarian assistance to the Republic of Niger.

Moving forward to October 20, 2023, Ambassador Kinza Jawara Njai, welcomed H.E. Ms. Tania Romualdo, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cabo Verde to the United Nations. The two representatives emphasized the crucial need of regional cooperation and coherence within the larger framework of the United Nations.  Ambassador Jawara Njai expressed the ECOWAS Permanent Observer Mission’s unwavering commitment to improving collaboration between ECOWAS and all Permanent Representations at the United Nations, particularly Permanent Representations of ECOWAS Member States to the UN, through systematic engagements for better coordination of actions at the International Level.

The concluding event for the week occurred on the 24th of October 2023, when H.E. Oumarou Ganou, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burkina Faso to the United Nations paid a courtesy visit to the ECOWAS Permanent Observer to the United Nations. During their discussions, Ambassador Kinza Jawara underscored the importance of sustained engagements in order to further the collective interests of the ECOWAS region and recalled some of the ongoing ECOWAS initiatives in Burkina Faso particularly in the area of humanitarian support. Ambassador Jawara-Njai further reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to accompany the transition process in the Republic of Burkina Faso.