The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has begun preparations for its flagship Trade and Investment Forum and Exhibition (ECOTIFE). ECOTIFE is expected to drive regional integration, attract investment, and stimulate economic growth across West Africa. Speaking at the opening of the planning committee meeting in Lagos on Thursday, ECOWAS Director of Trade, Kolawole…
West African climate negotiators and regional institutions opened a three-day preparatory workshop in Dakar, Senegal, on September 23, 2025, to align priorities for the upcoming COP30 United Nations Climate Summit in Belém, Brazil (November 10–21, 2025). The meeting, jointly organised by the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions, seeks to strengthen the region’s negotiating position by analyzing…
The 10th edition of the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF 2025) officially opened on Thursday 18 September 2025 at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Banjul. The conference brought together policymakers, development partners, industry leaders, and civil society to advance the region’s clean energy transformation. Hosted by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable…
Cybersecurity and ICT experts from ECOWAS Member States have validated the draft Final Report on the feasibility of establishing a Regional Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (RCCC). The meeting, held from September 15–17, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria, is a key step before the report is submitted to ministers for endorsement and eventual ECOWAS approval. The RCCC is…
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has dispatched a team of electoral experts to the Republic of Guinea to observe the constitutional referendum scheduled for 21 September 2025, underscoring the regional body’s unwavering commitment to democracy, peace, and good governance. The Technical Expert Mission, mandated by H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of…
ECOWAS Ministers of Justice have concluded a two-day meeting in Banjul to validate the Harmonised Protocol and the Arbitration Rules of the Community Court of Justice, two critical legal instruments aimed at strengthening the Court’s mandate. The meeting, held from August 29–30, was convened by the ECOWAS Commission and hosted by the Government of The…
Preparations are in full swing for the September 2025 launch of the ECOWAS Business Council (EBC), the highest decision-making body for the private sector within the regional bloc. The 21-member council, established by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers through Regulation C/REG.9/6/21, is expected to play a pivotal role in fostering economic growth, boosting investment, and…
President Adama Barrow on Thursday received President Julius Maada Bio, who is the newly elected Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, on his official visit to Banjul. The visit came at a pivotal time for the sub-region, as ECOWAS faces complex and pressing challenges ranging from peace and security to…
The ECOWAS Commission has taken a major step towards strengthening private sector representation in West Africa with a preparatory meeting held on July 29, 2025, in Abuja for the official launch of the ECOWAS Business Council (EBC). The meeting, organised by the Commission’s Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, brought together key directors and representatives…
Over 1,000 victims of human trafficking across West Africa have received direct support through a joint initiative between the ECOWAS Commission and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Marking World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, 2025, ECOWAS emphasized its commitment to fighting trafficking with the theme: “Human Trafficking is Organized Crime –…
