ABUJA, Oct 17 (AFP) - The European Union and west African economic and
political grouping ECOWAS have signed a financing agreement worth 1.95
million
euros (1.67 million dollars) to help establish a regional common market, a
communique said.
   The accord, signed on Monday during a first-ever joint ministerial
meeting
of the EU and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is
aimed
at strengthening ECOWAS capacities in the area of regional cooperation, said
the communique issued late Monday after the talks.
   The EU had earlier provided 1.9 million euros for the implementation of
the
ECOWAS mechanism for conflict prevention, management, resolution,
peacekeeping
and security, the text said.
   The two parties agreed that they will continue to hold regular meetings
to
enable them take measures to cement relations between them.
   The EU commended ongoing cooperation initiatives between ECOWAS and the
francophone West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and urged the
two
bodies to accelerate the harmonisation of their programmes, the communique
said.
   The meeting discussed institutional developments within the two
organisations, prospects for economic partnership agreement between them in
accordance with a recent agreement signed in Cotonou, and increasing
European
assistance to ECOWAS regional integration and cooperation initiatives.
   The two parties also discussed future programmes and orientations for the
EU and ECOWAS cooperation, the document said.
   Regional aid to west Africa under the 8th European Development Fund over
the period ending in 2001 totals 228 million euros (195 million dollars).
   The EU is west Africa's leading partner in the area of development
cooperation and trade, the document said.
   The Abuja meeting is part of preparations on new trade agreements between
the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries aimed at
drawing
up a timetable for the gradual removal of all obstacles to trade between the
parties concerned under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
   Ministers from Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Togo attended the meeting along with
ECOWAS Executive Secretary Lansana Kouyate.
   ECOWAS has 15 members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast
Gambia,
Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra
Leone and Togo.
   A 16th member, Mauritania, is currently in the process of leaving the
organisation.
   ECOWAS was established in 1975 to promote economic integration of the
region.
   ade/nb

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