The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth 2.5 million euros with Spain to help create 90 school canteens to safely feed 23,860 pupils in Nigeria and other West African countries.
In a press release published on the ECOWAS website on Wednesday, the MoU aims to strengthen the ECOWAS institutions and sustain an agricultural revolution in the region.
The MoU was signed when a delegation of Spanish officials led by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, Diego Martinez Belío, visited the ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray at the regional bloc’s headquarters in Abuja.
Belío said the memorandum of understanding which includes a voluntary contribution of 2.565 million euros will fast-track the development of an innovative regional school feeding program among ECOWAS member states, which Nigeria is a part of.
The envoy added that the funds will support the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA) in the implementation of the revised food security strategy.
The agreement also featured the launch of the Women, Peace, and Security program and the official launch of Spanish language training for ECOWAS staff.
Speaking at the event, Alieu Touray thanked Spain for supporting the bloc’s plan to develop energy infrastructures, agriculture, and gender issues.
