The European Union, ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions are meeting in Accra to strengthen strategic partnership between the EU and sub region on economy, trade, security, amongst others.

The two days meeting is expected to identify developmental actions under the six priority areas including inclusive and sustainable growth, the promotion of descent jobs, leveraging digital transformation and good governance.

It marks the launch of the UEMOA - ECOWAS - EU tripartite consultation mechanism for the Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), which aims to strengthen the strategic partnership between the EU and West Africa, and to ensure the coherence of the programming of development actions, which provides for actions at national, regional and continental levels.

It also follows the regional workshop held in Accra from 7 to 9 October 2021, between the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions and their Member States

For two days, participants will discuss ongoing initiatives at the regional and EU levels to identify development actions under the six priority areas of the NDICI, namely promote stability, security, democratic transition, good governance and human rights and strengthen cooperation on all aspects of migration, mobility and forced displacement, and address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement.

Others are to protect the environment and biodiversity, and combat climate change, promote human development and gender equality and strengthen partnerships.

The outcomes of the discussions will inform the development of NDICI's 2022 and 2023 annual action plans.

The tripartite consultation framework, which is a desire of the two Heads of Institution of UEMOA and ECOWAS given the specificity of the region, is intended to complement the dialogue platform set up at the continental level between the EU and the Regional Economic Communities of Sub-Saharan Africa.