News:
November 9, 2020
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has provided support in terms of food items to households in Mail through the Government on Saturday, November 7, 2020.
Mali is faced with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic which is exacerbating humanitarian challenges in the country. The country is already confronted with the cumulative effects of terrorism, global warming, and the anticipated risk of the invasion of crop pests such as desert locusts and the fall armyworm.
The regional solidarity was demonstrated through a food donation of seven hundred and ninety-three tons of cereals comprising of millet, maize, sorghum and rice. The first donation consist of two hundred and thirty-seven tones of cereals financed by the Commission’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund for Disaster and Emergency Relief to Member States affected by a humanitarian crisis, while the second donation of five hundred and fifty-six tones funded by the resources of the Regional Food Security Storage Support Project, which the European Union is financing for a total amount of fifty-six million Euros.
The two donations, were complementing the multidimensional support that the ECOWAS Commission has provided to Mali since the advent of COVID-19 in the country in March 24, 2020. They were handed over to Alhamdou Agllene, Minister for Malian Diaspora and African Integration by Sekou Sangare and Dr. Siga Fatima Jagne, Commissioners in charge of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources and Social Affairs and Gender respectively.
In a statement, by the ECOWAS Commission, it noted that the contribution of the ECOWAS Emergency Humanitarian Fund to the Malian Government’s efforts aims at helping the most vulnerable households to cope with the multiple crises while preserving their livelihood and dignity.
Commissioner Jagne said this before inviting all development actors to work in a concerted manner, to curb recurring crises to which the perverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been added.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com