In the margin of the RPCA meetings in Banjul (Gambia), USAID hands over the charge of leading the ECOWAP Donors’ Group to AFD. The handover ceremony took place during a meeting of the Group on 7 December 2018 chaired by Mr. Sékou Sangaré, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources

The Group of Donors for the regional Agricultural Policy, ECOWAP, brings together the main financial partners that support the implementation of this Policy. Established in 2010 under the impetus of the Spanish Cooperation, this group was hailed at its beginning as a useful and innovative initiative on the continent. One of its major achievements is the development of a database of regionally funded projects and programs in the agriculture, food security and nutrition sector.

For its co-ordination, a rotating presidency has been set up. Since the establishment of this presidency, the lead was first taken by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) from 2010 to 2015 and then by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) from 2016 to December 7, 2018.

The French Agency for Development (AFD) that has just taken over from USAID will have to mobilize more synergies to support the implementation of ECOWAP 2025.