Synergy for the Future: United Nations and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) united for Sustainable Development in West Africa

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The Government of Côte d’Ivoire, through the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, launched the annual meeting of the Regional Forum of Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) of West Africa on June 10th, in Abidjan, on the theme: “Strengthening the synergy of actions to accelerate regional integration and sustainable development in West Africa in a context of multiple challenge”.

This meeting, which was held from June 10 -11 2024, was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Sub-Regional Office for West Africa (UNECA-SRO-WA), in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire.

The objective of this Regional Forum was primarily to strengthen the partnership for sustainable development between the entities of the United Nations system represented by the ECA and the Office of the Resident Coordinator of the Ivory Coast on the one hand, and West African IGOs on the other.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Mr. Phillipe Lasmel, Director General of Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, stated that “despite the economic progress made by countries in  the sub-region, they will not be able to meet the 2030 SDGs targets”.

« It is therefore urgent to mobilize around all the levers capable of reversing this trend. In this regard, regional integration constitutes an essential lever for achieving the objectives of sustainable development and better responding to the aspirations for well-being of African populations,” says Mr. Philippe Lasmel.

For his part, the representative of the Director of the ECA Sub-Regional Office for West Africa, Mr. Amadou Diouf, affirmed that the sub-region needs concerted efforts from all stakeholders to achieve complete integration and sustainable development, as well as Agenda 2063.

According to Amadou Diouf, it is necessary to adopt an approach that allows for strengthening the synergy of interventions around four axes of convergence: i) development of rivers and basins for water management and access to energy; ii) information and data generation; iii) Financing facilities, promotion of a single currency, integrated payment systems, and strengthening of the macroeconomic framework; and iv) multisectoral and community interventions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

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