- Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany has announced a partnership with ECOWAS to provide affordable electricity to member countries, with significant support in other crucial areas
- The German government has granted €81 million to ECOWAS for development, including electricity projects, further strengthening the partnership
The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz, has announced that Germany is working in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to make affordable electricity accessible to member countries.
Chancellor Scholz shared this information during a press conference held after his meeting with Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, in Abuja on Sunday.
He highlighted that Germany’s collaboration with ECOWAS extends to several other crucial areas, such as pandemic prevention, security, and the prevention of coups within the region. Furthermore, Germany has recently increased its financial support to the ECOWAS bloc.
Dr. Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, acknowledged the substantial support received from the German government, amounting to a grant of €81 million to address critical development areas, including electricity. This new grant raises Germany’s total support to ECOWAS to €500 million over the span of a decade.
Dr. Touray also revealed a plan to establish a network connecting electricity production centers throughout West Africa, with a central hub located in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. This initiative aims to provide West African nations with electricity from more cost-effective sources, ultimately resulting in cheaper electricity within the ECOWAS bloc.
He stated, “Recently, we have concluded an agreement to the tune of 81 million Euros that the government of Germany and the people of Germany have decided to grant to ECOWAS to support us in various areas. Those are vital areas and as I have indicated, they cover areas such as peaceful and inclusive society, climate and energy transition, sustainable economic development, health, societal protection, and population.”
These areas are of significant importance and underscore Germany’s valuable support to ECOWAS. Dr. Touray also mentioned that their discussions encompassed the pressing challenges facing the region, including issues related to security, infrastructure deficits, and social development.