The Economic Community of West African States's Business Directory Regional Information System on Business Opportunities (ECOBIZ) was launched yesterday, Monday, 4th February 2013, at the Independence Stadium, by officials of The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), as part of activities of the ongoing sixth Trade Fair.

ECOBIZ aims to set up an online directory data base of businesses that are operating within the ECOWAS, with a view to exposing and creating opportunities among trading partners in the sub-region.

Speaking at the occasion, a representative of the Ministry of Trade, Integration and Employment, Baturu Camara-Ceesay, described ECOBIZ as a very important initiative that is in line with the strategies of the ministry, 'especially when it comes to access to business information'.

She assured that the Trade ministry is doing all it can to make sure that business information is both accessible by the business community.

"We are delighted to be associated with the initiative and we congratulate GCCI and its partners on this," she stated, while urging the business community to make best use of such initiatives.

The Chamber's corporate service manager, Beatrice A. Prom, who is also the administrator of ECOBIZ Gambia, described the initiative as significant and challenged businesses to make best use of it. She used the opportunity to inform that last month they signed a partnership with the Centre International du Commerce Exterieur du Senegal (CICES), an institution that organises trade fairs in that country.

"The benefits of the partnership include provision of a-25-square metre space during the Trade Fair Gambia," she said.