ECOWAS has kickstarted a landmark project to boost six vulnerable member states’ capacity to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Partnering with the African Development Bank and UNDP, the initiative targets The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo through institutional strengthening and technical support.
The virtual launch on August 6 convened regional ministers, AfDB representatives, and UNDP specialists. ECOWAS Economic Affairs Commissioner Massandjé Toure-Litsé emphasized “country-level ownership” as critical for inclusive AfCFTA execution.
AfDB Deputy Director General Joseph Rideberio pledged unwavering backing, while UNDP’s Isiyaka Sabo called the project timely amid global trade volatility.
Beneficiary states welcomed the support, aligning it with national priorities. ECOWAS Trade Director Kolawole Sofola closed the session by hailing AfCFTA as “a game changer for Africa’s economic transformation,” urging value-added production from raw resources.
The move comes months after Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s withdrawal from ECOWAS, underscoring urgency for regional cohesion.
With technical guidance from UNDP and $2.1 million AfDB funding, the project aims to fast-track trade integration. As global supply chains fragment, could this be West Africa’s turning point?
