Latest news with #MohamedIbnChambas
Zawya
20-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) task force embarks on advocacy mission to the Gambia and Senegal
In fulfillment of his mandate to promote regional trade integration, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) Task Force, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas led a high-level delegation to The Gambia and Senegal from 9 to 15 March 2025. The mission aimed to identify and mitigate obstacles that hinder intra-community trade between ECOWAS Member States. The delegation held strategic meetings with high-level political authorities, including ministers and heads of customs agencies, in order to assess the measures in place to facilitate the free movement of goods and people. At the same time, it held consultations with representatives of the private sector, aiming to understand their concerns and integrate their contributions into the process of strengthening regional trade. As part of the mission, the delegation made a field visit to the Banjul-Farafenni corridor, which crosses the Senegambia Bridge, an essential infrastructure for regional connectivity. During the discussions, critical issues related to trade transit were identified, including the difficulties faced by Gambia's ETLS-approved products in accessing the Senegalese market and the challenges posed by restrictions and harassment at the border between the two countries. In response, Dr. Chambas praised the spirit of cooperation and fraternity that characterizes relations between The Gambia and Senegal, reflected in the regular meetings of the Gambia-Senegal Joint Commission. He stressed the need to strengthen dialogue and implement concrete solutions, urging both sides to accelerate the automation of border customs posts and operationalize the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) in order to streamline and strengthen the efficiency of trade flow between the two states. Additionally, Dr. Chambas recommended the establishment of an instant alert mechanism to promptly address trade disruptions, enabling a coordinated and effective response between road operators and competent authorities. The mission culminated with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the ETLS Task Force and the authorities of The Gambia and Senegal, representing a significant step forward in the consolidation of regional trade integration in the ECOWAS space. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Al Jazeera
11-02-2025
- Health
- Al Jazeera
Sudan scene of world's worst humanitarian crisis: African Union
The civil war in Sudan has created the 'worst humanitarian crisis in the world', the African Union has warned. The conflict between the Sudanese military government and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is hampering the delivery of aid to a population suffering attacks and the threat of famine, officials said on Tuesday at a panel on the crisis. The war 'has hampered access to humanitarian relief, led to shortage of food and aggravated hunger', Mohamed Ibn Chambas, chairperson of the AU High Level Panel on Sudan (HLP-Sudan), said on X. 'Children and women are continually abused, and the elderly and sick lack medical assistance,' he continued. 'This is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.' The warning echoes similar statements from international aid agencies, including the United Nations. Attacks on schools, child soldiers The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 and has displaced an estimated 12 million people. AU officials warned that hundreds of thousands of children are now malnourished. Wilson Almeida Adao, a senior AU official for child welfare, said in a separate statement that hospital admissions for malnutrition rose by 44 percent in 2024, with more than 431,000 children receiving treatment. 'We witness reports of grave violations, including attacks on schools and hospitals, forced recruitment of child soldiers, and the denial of humanitarian access,' he said. The Sudanese army controls the east and north of the country, while the RSF holds most of the stricken Darfur region, where the UN on Monday accused it of blocking aid. 'The persistent restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles' imposed by the RSF's humanitarian agency 'are preventing life-saving assistance from reaching those in desperate need', said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan. Chambas declared that 'only inter-Sudanese political dialogue, not the military option, can end this war' suggesting that 'external interference has equally contributed to why the war has lasted this long'. 'We are and will continue engaging all Sudanese parties, including civilians and political actors, in an all-inclusive solution of the crisis and a comprehensive political dialogue to restore constitutional democracy in Sudan,' said Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU commissioner for political affairs, peace and security. road map for a post-war transitional government.
