ECOWAS Council of Ministers meets

Abuja- Nigeria (PANA) -- Ministers responsible for ECOWAS Affairs in Member State s were due to meet here Friday under the auspices of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers to set the budget for the ECOWAS Commission and its institutions, among other tasks.
The Council is saddled with the responsibility of setting the policy framework f or the ECOWAS Commission and its institutions.
During its two-day, 63rd session starting Friday, the Council will consider the draft budget the report of the preceding meeting of the Administration and Finance Commission, which contains the draft 2010 budget for the Commission and its institutions.
They will also consider the 2009 annual report of the President of the Commissio n, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, which captures the performance of the Commission and institutions of the Community and the inherent challenges.
The Ministers will also consider various memoranda, including those related to t he ECOWAS Logistics Facility in Freetown, Sierra Leone, as well as peruse various documents, including the Final Report of the Meeting o f Attorneys General and Ministers of Justice which recommended measures to improve the effectiveness of the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
Other issues to be considered include the recommendations of the 8th Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Telecommunications and ICT to improve telecommunications access in the region and the Reports of the 3rd Conference of ECOWAS Ministers of Culture and the 10th Assembly of Health Ministers.
They will also propose a draft agenda for the 37th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place in Abuja on 21 December 2009.