Abidjan - Cote d'Ivoire — Burkina Faso was on Friday, 1st October 2010, named the winner of the inaugural Free Movement Excellence Award for its outstanding implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services.

A representative of the country received the cheque for 10,000 US dollars and a certificate during the award night of the third ECOWAS Business Forum which also saw 45 other awards for "innovation and entrepreneurship" The country was cited for the elimination of harassments along the borders, removal of non-trade tariffs along its border routes, removal of multiple check points and the effective monitoring of their highways to ensure the security of Community citizens. The flagship Protocol was signed in 1979 by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government as an instrument to facilitate the intra- Community movement of citizens so that they can avail themselves of the opportunities all over the region and boost intra-regional trade to enable it become a tool for stimulating West Africa's economy and promoting employment.

Two other awards, one in the Young Entrepreneur category and the other, the ECOWAS Innovation Award, were also presented during the night. The Young Entrepreneurship Award was won by Mr. Alain Capochichi from Benin while Lynays SARL, a company based in Cote d'Ivoire, beat nine other contestants to win the award. Both winners received certificates and cheques for 10,000 US dollars each. The inaugural awards marked the highlight of this year's annual Forum which was on the theme, "Harnessing Energy Resources to enhance the competitiveness of West Africa's economy". The inaugural edition of the forum, which brings together stakeholders in the region's private sector to discuss various aspects of the region's economy, was held in Accra while the second edition was held in Ouagadougou.