By Arret Jatta
Efforts to remove barriers limiting businesses improve market access and strengthen industrial competitiveness dominated discussions among Ecowas trade experts in Banjul on Thursday.
The first Strategic and Technical Steering Committee meeting of the Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access Programme (ATCMA-ECOWAS) was hosted by regional and international partners at a local hotel in Kololi. It brought together representatives of Ecowas, the European Union, and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), member states and development partners to chart priorities for deepening economic integration and boosting trade across West Africa.
Participants highlighted the need for regional initiatives to deliver measurable outcomes, including increased trade volumes, stronger industrial production and the removal of obstacles that continue to hamper businesses.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ecowas Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture Dr Kalilou Sylla said West African countries should focus on expanding trade within the region and building industries capable of adding value to local products.
“The best market for West Africa’s industry is West Africa,” he said, adding that regional commerce can help promote peace, create jobs and foster shared prosperity. He also noted that much of the informal trade conducted by women remains undocumented despite its significant contribution to local economies.
Enrica Pellacani, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to The Gambia, described the programme as a key tool for promoting structural economic transformation and supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises across the region.
Meanwhile, UNIDO Programme Manager Bernard Bau stressed the importance of producing competitive, value-added goods that comply with international quality and safety standards, while International Trade Centre Director Espinon Oliveira-Gomez urged African businesses and investors to place greater confidence in opportunities within the continent.
The ATCMA-Ecowas programme seeks to improve market access, strengthen en terprise competitiveness and deepen regional economic integration across West Africa.
