by Mariatou Ngum
The minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment has recognised and commended the efforts of ECOWAS in facilitating the implementation of the Ecowas Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).
The Minister was speaking at the 92nd Ecowas Council of Ministers’ Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.
Further in his remarks, Minister Joof, despite recognizing progress, indicated that there are still challenges in enhancing intra-ECOWAS trade as compared to other regions of the world. He, therefore, urged Member States to double their efforts in facilitating trade within the community by removing all forms of non-tariff barriers in the interest of spurring economic growth to generate employment and reduce poverty.
In addressing cross-border trade challenges and enhance trade within the community, he submitted, the Government of The Gambia through his Ministry, is engaging Senegal and Guinea Bissau with a view to facilitating trade among the three countries. To achieve this objective, he added, the three countries have agreed to convene a tripartite meeting at Saly, Senegal with a view to signing a tripartite trade cooperation agreement that would enhance trade among their countries. He told the meeting that the process is supported by ECOWAS Commission.
The Gambian Trade minister went on to thank the ECOWAS Commission, through the commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, for the technical and financial contribution towards the hosting of the said tripartite convergence scheduled from 9-13 July, 2024.
“In addition, I want to thank the Office of the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission for supporting The Gambia in the development of a National Human Capital Development Strategy to address our human capital challenges. This strategy brought to the fore, the importance of human capital in development discourse and prioritised human capital as an important development imperative. Additionally, I want to thank the Office for the successful completion of the technical cooperation window for the ECOWAS Fund for Regional Stabilisation and Development (FRSD),” he further remarked.
Minister Joof went on to inform the participants that there is an informal weekly market set-up unique to the Senegambia Region which is a hub for informal cross-border trade. In its current form, he said, security and health of participants and goods are at risk.
Consequently, he noted, Gambia, through his ministry is trying to modernise its infrastructure and that ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation support programme, under the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, is supporting the pilot project in Wellingaraba, in the Lower River Region, which is within proximity of Southern Senegal.
The Trade Minister reported that in the last Council Meeting held in December, 2023, he received a cheque for US$245,000 from the Commission to support their fight against obstetric fistula which affects the reproductive health of women.
“Today, I am happy to report that the programme is being effectively implemented in The Gambia with the involvement of all the key stakeholders in the country. I want to thank the ECOWAS Commission through the Commissioner for Social and Humanitarian Affairs for this support”.
