The President of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Alieu Touray has expressed concern over the low trade volume among member states, currently around 12%.
Dr. Touray said that the trade volume within the larger African continent was not also impressive as it stands under 20%.
He also said that the current political situations within the region has overshadowed the region’s developmental strides.
Speaking at the maiden briefing on the activities of the regional body in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, Dr. Touray explained that “the political situation in the region has overshadowed the efforts of the regional bloc at addressing the needs of citizens of the community.”
He said; “There is so much more that ECOWAS is engaged in, as ECOWAS is present in virtually all facets of human development in the region, planning and providing for the contemporary needs of the community.
“Unfortunately, these laudable strides in the region’s relentless march towards an economic union have been overshadowed by contemporary political developments.”
Dr. Touray said with the strategies and policies in place to encourage trading and movement of goods and people within the region, it is disheartening that trade amongst member states is abysmally low.
He further said; “At the moment, our intra community trade stands around 12%. On the whole in Africa, intra continental trade is under 20% which is extremely low.
“If you look at developed countries, countries that are sufficiently integrated or regions that are sufficiently reintegrated, intra continental trade alone is around 60 to 70%.
” So we have a long way to go. Very long way to go and this is why it is important that we open our markets for our own produce, our own manufactured items.”
Dr. Touray also stressed the need to have sufficient local content on production within the region.
On some of it development strides and support to member states, he said the regional bloc spent over a million dollars to support the conduct of Nigeria’s 2023 general election.
“ECOWAS is one of the major partners of ECOWAS member states during elections and ECOWAS spends an average of $1million supporting member states during elections.
“We directly support election commissions, give grants and make sure the processes are observed and certified.
“Last year alone, you could recall the participation of ECOWAS in Nigeria’s election, the participation of ECOWAS in the parliamentary election in Senegal, participation of ECOWAS in Sierra Leone as well as Liberia,” he said.
Dr. Touray explained that as a matter of policy, the regional body gives each ECOWAS member a grant of $500,000 to support the conduct of elections while also deploying observers and logistics which cost the regional bloc over $500,000 as well.
“In Nigeria, apart from observing the national elections, INEC invited us to observe the state elections. So, we spent over $1million supporting Nigeria in the 2023 general elections,” the President of the ECOWAS commission disclosed.
According to him, ECOWAS is also spending considerable resources on fighting terrorism in the region while a major intervention is ongoing on maritime security.
“We have stabilisation forces in the Gambia and Guinea Bissau while another mission is at the preparatory stage for Sierra Leone. These preventive deployments of regional stabilisation forces are vital for the security and welfare of citizens and the community market.
“Only democratic governments can reasonably provide human liberty and dignity. We continue to maintain peace, and support missions in Member States where they are required,” he added.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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