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ECOWAS

Economic Community Of West African States


ECOWAS deepens support to the private sector to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), organized a regional capacity building workshop for Master Trainers from Business Associations on AFCFTA.
Africa’s bumpy road to regional economic cooperation
Countries of West Africa have an uphill task before them on the political and economic fronts. Recent events have proved rather distressing and they clearly signpost greater causes for worries about the sub-region’s future.
Nigeria moves to become gateway to AfCFTA, signs MoU with Vietnam
The Nigerian government, in a bid to boost trade with South East Asia and maximize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, has announced plans to make $336 billion exporter Vietnam use Nigeria as a gateway into the African market.
ILO, others seek protection of labour rights under AfCFTA
The International Labour Organisation (ILO), Organisation of Trade Unions in West Africa (OTUWA) and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) calls for protection of labour in the the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).
ECOWAS regional experts meet on the draft Ecowas common schedule of specific commitments on trade in services for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
To date, a total of forty-three (43) African countries are State Parties to the Agreement of the AfCFTA, including twelve (12) ECOWAS Member States.
The ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) to coordinate ECOWAS Member States’ positions on the draft AfCFTA protocol on competition
The purpose of the meeting was to bring together a number of ECOWAS Member States (Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal) and ERCA officials for a brainstorming on the draft AfCFTA Protocol on competition...
ECOWAS experts meet to consider draft offer on trade in services for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
The 7th Regional meeting reviewed the draft ECOWAS Offer for the AfCFTA Trade in Services negotiations and held bilateral sessions between ECOWAS Commission and Member States.
The AfCFTA Investment Protocol: preparations for the negotiations and expectations
The preparations for the negotiations of the Investment Protocol under the AfCFTA agreement (The Agreement) are already underway though still in the early stages.
Investment governance in Africa to support climate resilience and decarbonization
African nations should not be expected to take the lead in addressing a climate emergency they did not create. The priority for Africa is to receive support and investment to build resilience and adapt to climate impacts.
China Is the biggest winner from Africa’s new free trade bloc
AfCFTA was supposed to usher in a new era of continental trade and economic growth—but Beijing’s not letting that happen.
Burundi has officially ratified the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area
In a document that was made public this Tuesday, July 6, 2021, it was confirmed that Burundi officially ratified the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area on June 17, 2021.
Joint statement of the EU and Ghana on the start of trading under the EU-Ghana interim Economic Partnership Agreement
July 1, 2021 marks the start of effective implementation by Ghana of the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA) between the European Union and Ghana.
Regional Economic Communities and the AfCFTA investment protocol
The legal regimes of the eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs) recognised by the AfCFTA Agreement as building blocks of the African Continental Free Trade Area will not disappear when the AfCFTA is implemented.
Private sector firms join push for AfCFTA agenda
Private sector lobbies in Africa’s six regional trading blocs have formed the African Business Council, a continental umbrella body to spearhead the business agenda for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
AfCTA threatening intra ECOWAS trade
The impending commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA) will remove the advantage of intra-ECOWAS trade.
ECOWAS holds Regional Meeting on AfCFTA for ECOWAS Institutions and Specialised Agencies
The Economic Community of West African States held a virtual meeting on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for ECOWAS Institutions and Specialised Agencies on the 21st of July 2020.The AfCFTA seeks to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, in order to engender the acceleration and establishment of a continental Customs Union.
The European Commission’s manipulations of the interim Economic Partnership Agreements of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana
This analysis aims to uncover the many tricks used by the European Commission to impose the Interim Economic Partnership Agreements of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
MAN kicks as Nigeria’s priority products are omitted from AfCFTA’s sensitive, exclusive lists
Despite being a major market in West Africa, Nigerian manufacturers have kicked against the exclusion of Nigeria’s priority products from the sensitive and exclusive lists of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.
Pakistan aims to double trade with Africa in five years
Pakistan is already in touch SACU, ECOWAS and EAC to negotiate trade agreements and also plans to take advantage of the opportunities that exists under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
Mauritania to apply free trade deal with ECOWAS
Mauritania will soon implement the free trade agreement with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President El Ghazouani has said.