ECOWAS Urged to Intensify Efforts On Intra-Community Trade

1 December 2011
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Economic Community of West African States (Abuja)
press release

Lome - Togo — The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been urged to strengthen mechanisms for improving the level of intra-community trade which presently hovers between 13 and 15 percent in order to boost regional development.

Togolese Minister of Commerce and the Promotion of private sector, Mr. Kwesi Ahoomey-Zunu said at the opening of the ongoing 6th ECOWAS Trade Fair in Lome that the mechanisms should include a sensitization and mobilization component to raise the level of awareness among community citizens about products available in Member States. He identified trade as an engine of development and the creation of wealth and employment in the region. The Minister described Togo's hosting of the fair, which was originally scheduled to be held in Cote d'Ivoire, as an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with that country which is emerging from the aftermath of last presidential election crisis.

The Minister paid tribute to the Togolese President His Excellency Faure Eyadema, who attended the opening ceremony, describing his presence as further evidence of his commitment to the promotion of regional integration and intra- community trade. The President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency James Victor Gbeho also spoke in similar vein and called for the removal of barriers to intra- community trade to complement the fair as a trade booster in the region. He noted that from its inaugural edition hosted by Senegal in 1995, the fair has since evolved into the region's largest and only international exhibition of community products.

According to him, the regional fair has also assisted the region in bridging the gap between the public and private sector, noting that this year's edition themed "Strengthening Intra-community trade through private public partnership," was based on the recognition of the importance of such partnerships to economic development. President Gbeho called for the pooling of the resources of both sectors to bridge the gaps in infrastructure, financial procedures, strengthening of preservation systems, institution of marketing processes, application of technology to production, and improving Information Technology. He said the fair should not be seen as the preserve of the ministries responsible for trade, noting that its multi-sectoral nature demands the participation of all citizens.

The President commended the Chinese who are participating in the regional fair for the first time, describing the participation of Chinese companies as a strategic move by the region to expose its products to that country's market. Some 200 exhibitors are participating in the biennial fair which is taking place along side the Togo's 9th National Trade fair.

Read the original article on Ecowas.

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