The 4th Joint Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry has concluded with a strong call for economic diversification, industrial growth, and regional collaboration.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole,
emphasised the importance of collaboration in addressing the evolving global trade landscape.
The meeting, which welcomed representatives from 11 ECOWAS member states, urged member states to fortify their industrial bases and cultivate new partnerships in response to recent disruptions.
Oduwole acknowledged the delegates’ commitment to fostering industrial development and enhancing regional trade.
During the meeting, ministers reviewed reports from trade, industry, and investment experts across ECOWAS member states.
The meeting recommended that member states accelerate the ratification of the Fisheries Subsidy Agreement and review past ministerial conference decisions and outstanding issues.
The meeting also directed the ECOWAS Commission to organise meetings that would define regional priorities ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14).
The meeting further encouraged members to advance the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation, with 49 out of 54 African Union (AU) member states having ratified the agreement.
The meeting urged Benin Republic to accelerate its ratification process and directed the ECOWAS Commission to convene a joint meeting of Trade, Industry, and Transport Ministers to address cross-sectoral issues.
It recommended the submission of revised trade commitments to the AfCFTA Secretariat by August 2025.
Regarding the impact of U.S. tariffs, the meeting instructed the ECOWAS Commission to develop a regional response strategy and support member states in negotiations with the U.S. “This is particularly concerning non-tariff barriers (NTBs) under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and AfCFTA,” it said.
The meeting endorsed the ECOWAS Trade and Investment Promotion Strategy, recognising its potential to boost intra-regional trade and align community interventions with global best practices.
Senator John Owan Enoh, the Minister of State for Industry, highlighted the meeting’s significance as an avenue for recalibrating economic strategies and building resilience through collaboration.
Enoh reiterated ECOWAS’s shared vision of strengthening industrial growth and economic prosperity through progressive partnerships.
