By Mariatou Ngum
The Economic Community of West African States Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) task force, led by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, on Monday, March 10th met with key stakeholders at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment to evaluate progress on trade recommendations and address issues related to the free movement of goods under the ECOWAS Protocols.
The mission aims to assess the implementation of previous recommendations made to eliminate barriers to intra-regional trade and discuss emerging issues related to the free movement of goods between The Gambia and Senegal.
It was the mediation mission that took place from December 6-10, 2017 resulted in the signing of an Aide-Mémoire, which outlined crucial recommendations for the government to eliminate barriers to intra-regional trade.
This is the second mission and the visit aims to monitor the implementation of previous recommendations and address emerging issues regarding the free movement of goods along Gambian corridors and between The Gambia and Senegal.
The team is collaborating with various stakeholders who are essential in addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers, as well as illicit practices at the borders and along trade corridors. Authorities believe this is a crucial step towards enhancing regional integration in West Africa.
Welcoming the stakeholders, Dr. Chambas expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment for facilitating the meeting. He emphasised the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of protocols related to the ETLS.
Dr. Chambas outlined the task force’s purpose, which is to engage with member states to identify and address barriers hindering the free movement of goods and services. He noted that the team has been actively exploring various trade corridors over the past two years, with a significant focus on the Lagos-Abidjan corridor. He also explained that their intention to assess The Gambia Corridor last year was impacted by the timing of Senegal’s elections.
During the meeting, he acknowledged the ongoing bilateral efforts between The Gambia and Senegal to resolve trade-related issues, emphasising that fostering both regional and bilateral solidarity is essential in overcoming the challenges that arise. Dr. Chambas reiterated the task force’s main objective: to reinforce partnerships and ensure that the relationship between member states continues to grow stronger over time.
Mr. Mod A.K. Secka, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade,warmly welcomed the members of the task force to The Gambia and expressed his appreciation to the stakeholders present at the meeting. He proposed that ECOWAS develops a robust mechanism to track, document, and report violations of trade protocols. He suggested that these reports be made available for discussion during periodic heads of state meetings.
The PS highlighted the prevalence of situations where countries resort to protectionist measures, often citing them as justifications for implementing unnecessary non-tariff barriers. This, he argued, undermines the spirit of regional cooperation and free trade, necessitating a systematic approach to monitor and address such issues effectively.
“We are grateful for the mission’s efforts, which are instrumental in identifying areas where we can enhance our collaboration to tackle existing challenges,” stated Mr. Abdoulie Jammeh, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade. He acknowledged that while issues persist, significant strides have been made at the national level to strengthen cooperation among ECOWAS member states.
