ECOWAS
Economic Community Of West African States
The President signed the act ratifying the Economic Partnership Agreement between West African States, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union and its members.
This is the last tranche of the €323 million the EU offered Ghana under the Economic Partnership Agreement.
Latest book by economist Jacques Berthelot insists that West Africa will lose out if it signs the economic ’partnership’ agreement with the European Union.
Mauritania on Friday became the 15th West African country to sign the region-to-region Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union.
The Gambia became the 14th West African country to have signed the region-to-region Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EU.
President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria very explicitly stated to the new Ambassador of the European Union that Nigeria was determined not to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement for West Africa.
The implementation of common ECOWAS tariff will make Nigeria lose businesses because it means that once a tariff is paid in one country, no other tariff will be paid in any other country in West Africa.
The President said he had been reluctant to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement among ECOWAS countries because of the need to protect the economy, especially the industries and small businesses that currently provide jobs for majority of Nigerians.
Dr Ndongo Samba Sylla is an economist, researcher and programme officer at the Office for West Africa at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. In this interview, he analyses the African Continental Free Trade Area
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria urges the Nigerian government not succumb to the pressure by the European Union to sign the EU-ECOWAS Economic Partnership Agreement as well as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Turkish Economy Minister has suggested that a free trade agreement will be a key step to boost business ties between Ankara and the Economic Community of West African States.
What will happen if the regional EPA of West Africa is never finalized?
The Economic Community of West African States has called for the creation of a Regional Arbitration Forum as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism to boost its economic potentials.
Tanzania’s former President has warned Nigeria to resist pressure to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement, (EPA), with the European Union, because according to him, such contracts are counterproductive.
The Gambia government and European Union have restarted the process of signing a free trade deal, dubbed Economic Partnership Agreement – EU’s flagship trade agreement.
Several Nigerian lobby groups, including an organization of retired ambassadors, are putting pressure on the Nigerian government to reject the application because of the decades-old dispute over Western Sahara and Morocco’s geographical distance.
"We have looked at the agreement and we believe that the agreements are situated in the 19th century and we are now in the 21st century," Nigerian govt claims
To survive and grow its economy, Nigeria’s best option might be to protect its infant industries and grow them to a point where it can comfortably play on the grand waters of international trade. Until then, the EPA might be a right step in the wrong direction.
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has again cautioned the Federal Government to be wary of the Economic Community of West African States – European Union Economic Partnership Agreement.
The EU has been pressuring the ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) to sign and implement EPAs that would be destructive for these countries.
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