West Africa pushes for trade transformation as Banjul hosts landmark ECOWAS steering meeting

#Headlines West Africa pushes for trade transformation as Banjul hosts landmark ECOWAS steering meeting

Jun 19, 2026, 8:07 AM | Article By: Isatou Ceesay Bah

Regional leaders, development partners and trade experts have converged on The Gambia for the first-ever Strategic and Technical Steering Committee Meeting of the Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access Programme (ATCMA-ECOWAS), a landmark initiative aimed at unlocking West Africa’s trade potential and strengthening the region’s competitiveness in global markets.

The two-day meeting, which opened in Banjul on Thursday, brought together representatives of ECOWAS, the European Union (EU), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), member states and key stakeholders to chart a roadmap for expanding regional trade, improving market access and supporting business growth across West Africa.

Addressing delegates at the opening ceremony, Enrica Pellacani, Head of Cooperation for the EU Delegation to The Gambia, described the programme as a major step towards economic transformation and regional integration.

“This programme reflects a shared ambition not only to expand trade but to drive structural economic transformation across West Africa,” she said, noting that ATCMA is a key pillar of EU support under its Global Gateway Strategy.

Pellacani said the initiative seeks to strengthen the competitiveness of West African economies, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), enabling them to meet international standards and access new markets.

She stressed that the steering committee will play a critical role in shaping the programme’s implementation by reviewing progress, validating milestones, assessing priority value chains and adopting a six-month work plan.

“The Strategic Steering Committee is where strategic directions are set, accountability is ensured and key decisions are taken,” she stated.

Speaking on behalf of UNIDO, Programme Manager Bernard Bau said the meeting comes at a crucial moment as Africa advances implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), ECOWAS Vision 2050, the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

While acknowledging progress in regional integration, Bau noted that significant challenges remain in ensuring African businesses benefit from emerging trade opportunities.

“The African Continental Free Trade Area provides a unique opportunity to create a larger market for African goods and services. These opportunities can only be realised if enterprises can produce competitive and value-added products that meet international quality and safety requirements,” he said.

According to Bau, the ATCMA-ECOWAS Programme will focus on improving market access, strengthening quality infrastructure, supporting regional value chains and enhancing Africa’s participation in both intra-African and international trade.

He added that competitiveness today extends beyond production capacity and requires compliance with standards, product safety, innovation and sustainable production methods.

Also speaking at the event, ITC Director Espinon Oliveira-Gomez urged African entrepreneurs and investors to place greater confidence in local businesses and industries.

“One of the biggest challenges our SMEs face is a lack of confidence in themselves,” he said. “Too often, we invest abroad instead of investing in our own countries. That mindset must change if we are to unlock Africa’s full economic potential.”

Oliveira-Gomez emphasised that sustainable development can only be achieved through a strong and empowered private sector, supported by effective regional cooperation and committed leadership.

The Banjul meeting marks the first strategic gathering under the ATCMA-ECOWAS framework and is expected to lay the foundation for coordinated implementation of programmes designed to boost competitiveness, promote inclusive growth and accelerate regional economic integration across West Africa.

As delegates deliberate over the next two days, expectations are high that the initiative will help position West African enterprises to take advantage of new opportunities created by the continent’s evolving trade landscape.

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