Germany is working with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to provide cheap electricity to member states, Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, has said.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting with the ECOWAS Commission’s President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, in Abuja, Scholz said his country is also cooperating with the ECOWAS in other areas including pandemic prevention, security and prevention of coups in the region.
According to him, Germany had increased its financial support to the bloc recently. Scholz , condemned the recent coup de’tat in some African countries.
“Peace and security is very important to every nation, military coup must not be allowed within the region, ECOWAS need to kick against Terrorism”, Scholz added.
He condemned the Hamas attack on Isreal, killing of children and old people, stating that Isreal has the right to defend itself, even as he called for the release of all the hostages by Hamas.
Speaking earlier, the ECOWAS Commission’s President, Touray, said the organisation had received support from the government of Germany in the sum of €81 million grant to address vital areas of development, including electricity.
This latest grant, he said, brings to €500 million total Germany’s support over a decade.
According to Touray, there is a plan to link electricity power production through West Africa from a centre in Cotonou in the Republic of Benin.
He said the project would allow West African countries to get electricity from a cheaper source, adding that it would translate to cheaper electricity within the bloc. “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 are important sectors and we appreciate the support that Germany has given to us in these areas. The recent agreement has brought Germany’s support to ECOWAS over the decade to close to 500 million Euros,” he said.
Touray explained that the discussion centred around the challenges that the region is facing, including insecurity, infrastructure deficit and social development.