ITF in Mali
»The establishment of National Centers, which is in line with the full operationalization of the regional Early Warning and Response Mechanism in West Africa, is a fundamental step in the architecture of peace and security in our region« (Mr De Souza, President of the ECOWAS Commission).
The first National Centre for Coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanism is opened! We are in Mali, where the first of five centres has opened, with the intention to bridge the gap between alert and response in ECOWAS member states, and thus proactively identify emerging crises and improve their response mechanisms once a crisis begins.
The center was officially opened by H.E. Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, President of the Republic of Mali, H.E. Faure Gnassingbé, President of Togolese Republic and H.E. Marcel A. De Souza, President of the ECOWAS Commission. At the inaugural ceremony, Mr Gregory Garland, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy in Bamako, handed over the keys of the vehicle and list of equipment provided for the center, which is part of the support under the Early Warning and Response Partnership (EWARP).
Dr Abdrahmane Sylla, Minister for Malian Diaspora and Integration and H.E. Marcel Da Souza, President of the ECOWAS Commission signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Mali and the ECOWAS on strengthening the Early Warning and Response Mechanism in West Africa in the presence of the Presidents of the Republic of Mali and Togolese Republic.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by numerous members of Malian Government, Army, Civil Society and representatives of the media.
The project is financially supported by U.S. Department of State.