As ECOWAS marked its 47 year anniversary, WACSOF Nigeria celebrates with ECOWAS by visiting schools in the nations capital. While visiting schools, representatives from WACSOF emphasized to the students on the creation of ECOWAS, the role and functions of the ECOWAS in the West Africa sub-region.
The team also enlightened the students on the role and functions of WACSOF in West Africa and its place under ECOWAS.
The West African Civil Society Forum hosted a team from Ford Foundation at its regional headquarter in Abuja, Nigeria on 14th October, 2022. This comes months after series of regular engagement with Ford Foundation to address salient management issues in the organization.
While promising its continuous engagement and partnership with WACSOF, Ford Foundation highlighted key areas to further strenghten its relationship with WACSOF.
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WACSOF organized a 2-day training of a group consisting of participants including communities’ leaders, religious leaders and government experts on the provisions of the ECOWAS Harmonized Mining Code (EMMMDA), related to the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders and how the EMMMDA contributes to peace building and conflict prevention. The participants involved are from the mining communities of KALANA and NAMPALA in the region of SIKASSO in the republic of MALI.
During the training the ECPF (ECOWAS CONFLICT PREVENTION FRAMEWORK) was presented and detailed as well as many provisions of the EMMMDA related to conflict prevention.
The Participants were grateful to WACSOF and its partners and appreciated the added value of the training in their engagement with the mining companies and other stakeholders.
The African continent is blessed with a rich reserve of natural resources. Africa holds approximately 30% of the world’s known mineral reserves, as well as a substantial hydrocarbon (oil and gas) reserves. Despite being so richly endowed, Africa remains one the poorest continents in the world. Among many causes: unfair tax regimes, illicit financial flows, corruption, bad governance.
WACSOF, the umbrella network of Civil Society Organisations in West Africa is leading a regional movement on advocacy, capacity building, public awareness in the area of extractive industries. Following are some activities WACSOF organised or participated:
