ECOWAS Food and Cultural Festival to Drive Food Security and Economic Growth in West Africa
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced plans to hold its Food and Cultural Festival in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from October 6 to 11, 2024.
The festival aims to promote food security, alleviate poverty, and foster economic growth across the 16 ECOWAS member countries.
During a Preparatory Inter-Ministerial/Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja on Friday, the Director-General of the ECOWAS Food and Cultural Festival, Ambassador Felix Ihonre, emphasized the significance of the event.
“This festival is focused on promoting food security, poverty alleviation, and a zero-tolerance approach to hunger across West Africa,” he said.
Ihonre explained that the festival would bring together key stakeholders in food security and agriculture to address the security challenges that have hindered farming and agricultural production in Nigeria and other West African countries.
“The festival will bring together key players in the food security and security structure to proffer solutions to the challenges that have hindered agricultural production,” he stated.
Nigeria, as the host nation, is expected to reap substantial economic benefits from the event. “Being the host alone, Nigerians are going to benefit from the festival. We are the people that are to sell food for participants to eat, give accommodations, and provide transportation services,” Ihonre noted.
He added that the influx of visitors would stimulate economic activity, with local businesses, hotels, and transport services seeing increased demand.
Highlighting the importance of the event, Ihonre pointed out that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, who currently serves as the Chairman of the ECOWAS Commission, will play a key role in the festival.
“Now that we have a Nigerian as the Chairman of ECOWAS, it is time for Nigeria to also benefit from hosting ECOWAS through this festival,” he remarked.
The festival, themed “Celebrating African Cultural Heritage for Peace and Development,” will feature a range of cultural and social activities, including a golf tournament, a train carnival, and the Miss ECOWAS Beauty Pageant. “We will be having the Miss ECOWAS Beauty Pageant, which is going to showcase ECOWAS beauty as well as their costumes,” Ihonre said.
In addition to cultural celebrations, the festival will also focus on peace and security, recognizing that development is impossible in an environment of conflict. “There can be no development in an atmosphere where the farmer does not have the opportunity to go to the farm,” Ihonre emphasized.
To ensure the safety of participants and promote peace, security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, will be actively involved in the festival.
Mr. Oladunjoye Musiliu, Director of International Organisations and Political Economy Affairs at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, called on all relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of the festival.
“The festival represents an opportunity for regional cooperation and economic development, and we must all work together to make it a success,” he urged.
