Trade Promotion Organisation (TPO) Network of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the East African Community (EAC) convened a maiden trade engagement in the Nigerian capital of Abuja in June this year.
The three-day round-table meeting, organised by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the ECOWAS TPO Network and supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC), marks a significant milestone in fostering inter-regional trade cooperation across Africa.
The meeting brought together heads of National Export Promotion Agencies from ECOWAS Member States alongside representatives from the EAC Secretariat. The primary objective of the gathering was to enhance institutional dialogue, promote mutual learning, and establish avenues for sustained collaboration between the two regional blocs in trade promotion and private sector development.
Throughout the three-day engagement, participants shared best practices in trade facilitation and strategies to boost intra-regional trade. A key focus of the discussions is the integration of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into regional value chains, which is vital to accelerating economic development across both regions. Stakeholders are also exploring the critical role of Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), facilitating the movement of goods and services, and advancing digital trade.
Other highlighted areas include capacity building and the establishment of inter-regional business matchmaking platforms, which aim to connect entrepreneurs, exporters and investors from both blocs.
“This initiative supported the EAC and ECOWAS in fostering effective regional cooperation among Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) to achieve deeper integration, broaden intra-regional trade, and strengthen their trade relations with other regions.”
In his welcome address delivered on behalf of Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs Massandjé Touré-Litse, the Director of Trade at the ECOWAS Commission, Kolawole Sofola, emphasised that regional trade integration and private sector development remain key pillars of ECOWAS Vision 2050.
Mr Sofola reiterated the Commission’s commitment to strengthening partnerships that will drive sustainable growth and economic transformation across the continent.
This initiative supported the EAC and ECOWAS in fostering effective regional cooperation among Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) to achieve deeper integration, broaden intra-regional trade, and strengthen their trade relations with other regions.
The engagement has set a new precedent for enhanced South-South cooperation and marked a step forward in the collective effort to build a more integrated, resilient, and prosperous African economy.
All these took place on the framework of the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) which held in June this year on the theme: “Unlocking Trade and Investment Opportunities in the Region”.
The West Africa Economic Summit is a premier regional event that unites leaders, policymakers, business stakeholders and youth to drive economic integration, promote investment, and foster sustainable growth across West Africa, serving as a catalyst for collaboration, innovation, and shared prosperity in the region. The Summit aims to foster dialogue, build partnerships and drive regional cooperation to position West Africa as a globally competitive and unified economic bloc.
