The ECOWAS Early Warning Department (EEWD), in collaboration with its American partners, yesterday, began a two-day seminar on the evaluation of the ECOWAS Regional Information and Exchange System (ERIES).
ERIES is a network in West Africa jointly established by ECOWAS and its American government partners. It is designed to enhance the ECOWAS Commission System. At the moment, however, it has not yet been deployed to all its member states, as requested by its partners. But plans are underway to expand it to the four regional bureaus located in The Gambia, Benin, Liberia and Guinea Bissau.
Declaring the two-day seminar opened, Naffy Barry, deputy permanent secretary, department of state for Trade Industry and Employment, on behalf of the secretary of state for Trade, Industry and Employment, described the initiative as a good move, noting that the system will help link the executive secretariat with 12 out of the 15 member states. She said the system will also serve as a web-enabled environment that will provide an information publishing capability, integrated communication and information management with integrated privacy.
According to her, the two-day seminar will result in a consolidated proposal for an enhanced use of ERIES system. She said this will give them an opportunity to collectively chart a new future for information exchange for all member states, through sharing of experiences.
PS Barry then urged participants to do an excellent job during the two-day interactive session. For his part, Colonel Kone Yoro, director of the Early Warning Department at the ECOWAS secretariat, briefed delegates on the establishment of the system, the importance of the two-day session and how the outcome of the meeting will help to enhance the commission’s activities.
According to him, the outcome will be a comprehensive report that will be forwarded to the president of ECOWAS and they will use that as an opportunity to address the issues with their partners