Japan donates $30,436 to ECOWAS observers for Nigeria

JAPAN on Tuesday said it was making $30,436 available for the election observation mission of the  Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Nigeria.

 In a press statement sent to The Guardian by the Ms. Mariko Chiba of the ECOWAS section at the Embassy of Japan in Abuja, the amount is to partly fund the 12-member Long Term Election Observation Mission of ECOWAS which comprises election,  political, legal, conflict prevention and media operation specialists as well as a mission coordinator.

“The government of Japan recognises the importance of ECOWAS’ efforts to ensure the proper conduct of free, fair and transparent elections to contribute to the peace and stability of the region, and is confident that the deployment will contribute to the conduct of a peaceful electoral process. Hence in order to contribute to the peaceful and democratic process of the election, the government of Japan decided to contribute to part of the cost of the deployment of a 12-member Long Term mission,” the statement read.

The embassy noted that since 2000, Japan had contributed  $5.8 million to ECOWAS regional projects.  “It is expected that this contribution by the Government of Japan to the ECOWAS will ensure peace and security in Nigeria and further strengthen its vital role in regional integration”, the statement added.

 It would be recalled that ECOWAS recently deployed 250 election observers headed by former Ghanaian President John Kufor  to ensure peaceful polls across the country next month.