I am pleased to note that, for the first time, the Council will be presented with a memorandum on the logistics concept, following the completion of the Lungi logistics depot constructed under the auspices of ECOWAS. I wish to congratulate the esteemed members of the current Council, as well as the Management of the Commission under the able leadership of my brother, Dr Alieu Touray on the successful completion of this important project, which was conceived back in 2005. The Lungi Military Logistics Depot was built entirely by resources generated internally. This is no doubt a landmark achievement, as the completion of the project comes at a time when the region is preparing to mobilize and operationalise its Standby Force on fight against terrorism.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is often a direct correlation between security and prosperity. Sustained prosperity is achieved through trade and investment, devoid of barriers. It would therefore be remiss of me if I did not mention the apparent recent decision by the Government of the United States to include all ECOWAS countries in its visa restrictions (Togo was on an earlier list). This would be most unfortunate if it comes to pass, because we are a region of opportunities ready to do deals. We possess critical minerals and even rare earths such as Samarium from the Monazite found in my home State of Bauchi. We would like to do deals with the US, but visa restrictions are Non-Tarriff Barriers to deals. We in this part of the world are students of the Art of the Deal and have been part of the international trading system even before the modern state system. ECOWAS countries and the US have a rare opportunity to create a partnership based on principles of need. We are also a strategic alternative to more distant and politically divergent energy producers. So, we will do deals for our prosperity; the only question is with whom? Who takes up the opportunities in our region by allowing government officials and technocrats, business executives and entrepreneurs to travel freely back and forth to close the deals?