The European Union is to finance four new projects for a total of €88 million to boost security and governance in West Africa, the European Commission announced on Thursday 15 June.
Financing contracts were signed that same day by EU International Cooperation and Development Commissioner Neven Mimica and representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The money will come from the West African section of the 11th European Development Fund.
Some €25 million will go to boosting the police information system in West Africa, WAPIS, to clamp down on criminal networks and terrorism.
Another €15 million will go to PESCAO, a programme for tackling illegal fishing and to boost the capabilities of the different countries and regional organisations so they can cooperate more effectively, while €10 million will go to the AFRITAC project to harmonise public finances and boost regional cooperation on bank supervision and improving management systems for debt at national level.
In addition, €38 million will go to a regional programme to support governance in the transport sector, improving fluidity and reduction greenhouse gas emissions. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)