The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has facilitated discussions between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire on implementing the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on inspection certificates between Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
The discussions took place during a bilateral meeting organised by the ECOWAS Commission in Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire, through its Directorate of Private Sector and Industry, with support from TradeMark Africa.
According to a statement published on the ECOWAS Commission’s website, the meeting formed part of the Commission’s efforts to reduce technical barriers to trade, facilitate the movement of goods and strengthen regional economic integration.
The initiative is in line with the MRA approved by ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry on 16 May 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The meeting enabled the two countries to examine the practical arrangements for implementing the agreement, identify priority products and agree on the next operational steps.
Following the discussions, “an initial list of priority products was selected for the pilot phase and an implementation action plan was approved.”
Both countries also agreed to use ECOWAS harmonised inspection procedures and regional sanitary and phytosanitary inspection procedures as common tools for implementing the MRA.
The participants “agreed to continue national consultations to ensure the effective implementation of the MRA.”
Strengthening Cross-Border Trade
The meeting recommended the designation of competent national authorities and the establishment of a technical management committee to coordinate implementation.
Other recommendations included capacity-building for inspection bodies and the reactivation of the Cross-Border Management Committee.
The MRA aims to reduce redundant inspections, compliance costs and delays at borders, whilst maintaining quality standards, product safety and the regulatory prerogatives of the States.
Its implementation should therefore help to improve the competitiveness of businesses, support small and medium-sized enterprises and boost trade between the two countries.
Speaking at the meeting, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dephue Yenpea Zuo, represented by the Acting Director of the Private Sector and Industry Sector, Mr. Peter Oluonye, reaffirmed his commitment, with the support of TradeMark Africa and other relevant partners, “to assist Member States in the effective implementation of this regional instrument, with a view to fostering a more integrated, competitive and private-sector-friendly regional market.”
The Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana pilot phase represents a strategic step towards the gradual implementation of mutual recognition along the Abidjan–Lagos corridor, with a view to extending the achievements to other relevant member states and ultimately, to the entire ECOWAS region.
