Coronavirus: ECOWAS donates 3,999 tons of cereal to vulnerable households in Kano

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), during the weekend, donated 3,999 tons of cereal to vulnerable households in Kano state to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This regional solidarity has been demonstrated through two food donations of a total quantity of 3,999 tons of cereals comprising of millet and sorghum. The first donation consists of 1,196 tons of cereals, was financed by the Humanitarian Emergencies Fund of the ECOWAS Commission.

“The second donation was of 2,803 tons of cereals, was funded by the Regional Food Security Storage Support Project, which the European Union (EU) is financing for a total amount of €56 million. The donations are meant to support the most vulnerable populations and households,” a statement by ECOWAS read.

Mr. Sekou Sangare, in his remarks on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, reiterated the solidarity of the ECOWAS Commission and that of the other Institutions of the Community to all suffering and demised citizens resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic

“Saving human lives also means giving food to people affected not only by the Coronavirus but also providing food for our brothers and sisters, our parents affected by terrorism and banditry, violent conflicts and climate change as most of the women and children have been forced to flee their villages to settle further very often in extreme poverty circumstances,” Mr Sangare added.

Commissioner Sangare further acknowledged the technical and financial partners including the French Development Agency (AfD), the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the quality of assistance provided recurrently to ECOWAS and for their regular and diversified support towards the operationalization of the Regional Food Security Reserve as well as the resilience and humanitarian action programs.