ECOWAS President, Dr Omar Alieu Touray Advance Responsible Trade, Investment and Sustainable Development and Combating of Corruption in Spain.
By Raymond Enoch
The on-going 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville ,Spain is been attended by an nfluential delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led by the President of the Commission, His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, who is actively participating in the 4th (FfD4), Conference.
The conference convened global leaders, .policymakers, private sector stakeholders, and development experts to address pressing challenges surrounding sustainable development financing, debt management, international trade, innovation, and illicit financial flows.
At the heart of the deliberations is the critical task of mobilizing resources and restructuring financial frameworks to accelerate sustainable development, particularly within developing countries. The event also underscored the essential role of international cooperation and the mobilization of private capital, with a particular focus on aligning business practices with social and environmental responsibilities.
Dr. Touray’s intervention at the conference spotlighted the imperative of reclaiming control over the health sector within ECOWAS member states. “We must reassert ownership of our health sector,” the Commission President emphatically stated. “Achieving this requires a degree of autonomy that enables us to allocate resources effectively to meet our priorities.” He further acknowledged the systemic challenges undermining health sector progress, openly admitting, “It’s no secret that corruption is endemic in our health systems and needs to be tackled decisively.”
The Commission President’s candid remarks highlighted a willingness within ECOWAS leadership to confront internal governance issues while pursuing external financing and partnerships. His call for enhanced accountability reflects a broader recognition of the need for reform to unlock more sustainable, equitable development pathways.
The conference’s broad agenda tackled pivotal themes such as innovative financing mechanisms, debt crisis management, strengthening international trade frameworks, fostering science and technology innovation, and curbing illicit financial flows. The discussions also emphasized the transformative potential of private sector engagement and investment in driving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in regions confronting compounded challenges from global economic uncertainties and climate change.
As ECOWAS continues to advocate for its development priorities on the international stage, participation in the FfD4 conference underlines its commitment to forging collaborative solutions that advance regional economic integration, sustainable development, and good governance.
With the global community grappling with multiple crises, the Seville conference represents a crucial platform for aligning international financial architecture with the aspirations of developing countries. Through leadership figures like Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, ECOWAS aims to influence policies that foster growth, resilience, and transparency in West Africa’s development trajectory.
