ECOWAS specialized agencies mobilised for better implementation of AFCFTA

By Odimmegwa Johnpeter, Abuja 

For better implementation of AFCFTA Agreement, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has mobilised its institutions and specialized agencies to improve its understanding of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) within the region in order to enable ECOWAS Institutions and Specialised Agencies to better contribute to the negotiations and implementation of the Agreement.

This was the focus of a virtual meeting on the AfCFTA for ECOWAS Institutions and Specialised Agencies recently in Abuja, a statement issued by the media officer of the ECOWAS Commission, Oghogho Obayuwana, said.

This was stated by the President of the ECOWAS Commission Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Trade, Customs, and Free Movement Tei Konzi, noted that ECOWAS, in line with Article 85 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty and the ECOWAS Summit directives, has continued to play its role of coordinating the positions of ECOWAS Member States for engagement with other parties in the AfCFTA negotiations. According to Commissioner Konzi, the AfCFTA has an ambitious coverage with a multi-sectoral reach that requires the inputs of experts in various disciplines.

The AfCFTA seeks to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, in order to engender the acceleration and establishment of a continental Customs Union.

According to Konzi, this will allow all institutions and agencies in the regional community to take participate and contribute to the negotiation and implementation of the continental agreement in line with the spirit and letter of Revised ECOWAS Treaty and the directives of the ECOWAS Summit.