Essien Abel Essien Director, Strategic Planning

1. ECOWAS COMMISSION COMMISSION DE LA CEDEAO STATUS REPORT ON THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS: Essien Abel Essien Director, Strategic Planning

2. Content Page • Review of Work Plan at the Inception of the Unit • Process Steps • Where We Are Today • Issues Uncovered • 5. Lingering Challenges

3. Strategic Planning Unit: Mandate • Develop a mechanism for formulating sub-regional strategy and implementing the regional integration and development agenda • Develop detailed regional strategic plan. • Ensure its conversion into operational, sectoral, regional and national programmes. • Develop short/medium and long term work plan. • Develop a mechanism for facilitating coordination of the Commission’s strategic plans in collaboration with the Commissioners and Directors.

4. STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS Strategic Plan: 207 -2010: Work in progress ECOWAS Vision 2020: Adopted in 2007 TOWARDS AN ECOWAS OF PEOPLES Medium Term Action Plan: Implementable Activity Plan Capacity Building Plan: Operational Building ECOWAS Future Now

5. The Proposed Work Plan Strategic Plan • Institute a strategic planning and programming system in three phases • Update the existing plan, taking cognizance that the implementation period was almost coming to an end • Develop an Action Plan and integrate into the budgetary system • Design a supportive ICT Infrastructure to aid monitoring and evaluation ECOWAS Vision Follow up on the finalization with the Consultants. Translate and produce a final document for circulation

6. Process Steps (1 of 3) We needed to appreciate the resources we have available to meet these objectives Allowed us to consciously be responsive to the demands of the Community We needed to be clear about the objectives of the ECOWAS region / Commission • Determine our main strategic mandate • Determine our strategic vision & mission • Carry out a SWOT analysis to appreciate our strengths and identify our obstacles • Define our critical issues • Decide what resources are required • Define goals and intermediate and short-term objectives • Develop a strategy profile for the future • Draw an action timetable Institute a Strategic Planning and Programming System

7. Process Steps (2 of 3) Defined a clear process strategy Established an Institutional Framework Arrangement Draft the Zero Version of the Strategic Plan Program and Plan Synthesis Details • Agenda • Mission • Core Values • Environmental Scan • Strategic Framework • Implementation Strategy • Participatory Approach • Ownership • Stakeholders Confidence • Analyze Planning Documents • Establish linkages • Management Committee • Steering Committee • Operational Committee • ECOWAS Institutions Coordinating Committee

8. Process Steps (3 Of 3) Develop Capacity Building Plan having identified capacity gaps Communicate Strategic Planning Process to internal and external customers Institute a planning & programming system within a program planning cycle Develop an Action Plan Details • Set up different Stakeholder Forums • Implementation Strategy • Town Hall Meetings at the Commission • Visit to ECOWAS Institutions • Identify planning issues • Map the Key Performance Indicators • Carry out costing and integrate into a multi-year budgetary framework • Monitoring and Evaluation System • Supportive ICT infrastructure • Implementation Review Reports • Midyear Execution Report • President’s Annual Review Reports • Develop a capacity building plan

9. Where We Are? The ECOWAS Vision 2020 has been translated after several reviews We have aligned the strategic plan with the 2020 Vision The regional Strategic Plan was finalized in June 2009, translated into French and circulated We have started defining the programs / projects / activities under the Strategic Plan We have commenced the preparation of the medium term action plan that will define the activities under the Strategic Plan

10. Pyramid of Success How do we do this? The methods and tools necessary to achieve our mission. It involves preparing the best way to respond to the circumstances of the organization's environment, whether or not these circumstances are known in advance How are we going to achieve this?...What plan should we follow?...How do we know when we have met our goals?...How do we keep on track? VISION MISSION STRATEGY How should we structure our capabilities to realize value and work efficiently? CAPABILITIES ARCHITECTURE Technology Organization Funding Processes Facilities Institutions Good Governance Culture

11. Issues uncovered Intervention seven in Key Areas Technical Assistance Road Map • Institutional Arrangement and Organizational structure • Process Redesign • Control Systems • ICT Infrastructure Overhaul • Financial Strategy • Communication Strategy • Strategic Alliance • Defined by the key intervention areas • These defines the technical assistance needs • To support the reform and facilitate change in the key areas • To aid the implementation of the strategic plan Development Partners (Pool Fund) Assistance is Required:

12. Lingering Challenges Administrative • Lack of staff, work tools, and office space • Conflicting Organizational arrangement leading to coordination nightmare • Lack of resources to carry out the activity planning • Absence of clear business units • Developing the action plan for the regional strategic plan • Mapping the action plan to the strategic objectives in the strategic plan • Difficulties in the implementation of an activity based/result based management system Management Buy-In is Required

13. Last Line Strategic planning holds the key to development and the promotion of economic integration in our region: