Raphael Oni
In a significant move, the Bureau of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Parliament) has passed the community budget for 2025, while also advocating for an extended deadline for Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to leave the ECOWAS Community.
The Bureau, which held an emergency session from 6 to 11 December 2024 in Abuja, expressed a strong desire to see the Authority of Heads of State and Government deploy an extra-ordinary measure to extend the deadline for the three member states to exit the ECOWAS Community. This move is aimed at giving room for further reflections and negotiations that will avoid the disintegration of the region.
The draft community budget for 2025 was presented to the Bureau of Parliament by Amb. Wale Awe, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Administration and Finance Committee (AFC). The budget totals 418,062,927 Units of Account (UA), with the ECOWAS Parliament’s budget adopted at 18,696,897 UA, showing a 19.5% decrease from the previous year’s budget.
The budget for the ECOWAS Commission and its agencies received a downward revision of 1.4% from the previous year, totaling 221,780,096 UA. Notably, the budget for the West African Health Organization (WAHO) increased by 14.21% from its 2024 budget to 71,596,777 UA.
In addition to the draft budget, the Bureau also gave a favorable opinion on ten other Community Acts referred to Parliament by the ECOWAS Commission. These Acts center on diverse fields, including energy, transport, water resources, information technology, and education.
The passage of the community budget and the advocacy for an extended deadline for the three member states to exit the ECOWAS Community demonstrate the Parliament’s commitment to promoting regional integration and cooperation. As the region continues to navigate the complexities of economic and political integration, the ECOWAS Parliament remains a vital institution in promoting the interests of West African citizens
