The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has intensified efforts towards enhancing trade and transport facilitation along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway, a pivotal initiative to foster regional integration and sustainable development.

A recent technical workshop, a crucial event in the corridor’s development, was convened in Lomé, Togo, from June 27 to 29, 2024. This workshop, coordinated by the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Transport in collaboration with the Directorates of Trade, Customs & Taxation, and Free Movement, was focused on reviewing and validating the Interim Report on the Trade and Transport Facilitation Study.

This comprehensive study, commissioned as part of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project, aims to establish a robust framework for seamless cross-border trade, efficient customs procedures, and smooth movement of goods, vehicles, and persons across the corridor. The framework integrates international, continental, and regional standards on trade and transport facilitation, emphasizing corridor-wide connectivity, transit regimes, preferred trader schemes, and integrated border management.

Mr. Chris Appiah, Acting Director of Transport at the ECOWAS Commission, underscored the critical role of the Trade and Transport Facilitation component in operationalizing the corridor highway upon completion. He emphasized the need for short—to medium-term interventions to support current trade activities and a long-term strategy to guide future operations. This long-term vision promises a future of increased trade, economic growth, and prosperity for the region.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway, Mr. Ibi Terna, Director of Highway Planning and Development at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Works and Chairman of the workshop, emphasized its role as a powerful catalyst for regional integration and sustainable development. He underlined that effective trade and transport facilitation is crucial for unlocking the corridor’s full economic potential, instilling a sense of optimism for the future.

The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway forms part of the broader Dakar-Lagos Corridor, ECOWAS’s flagship initiative aimed at promoting economic cooperation and enhancing living standards across West Africa. Established in 1975, ECOWAS has championed regional integration efforts to foster financial stability, improve diplomatic relations among Member States, and drive overall progress on the African continent.

As ECOWAS continues its transformation into an ‘ECOWAS of the People’ by 2050, initiatives like the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway underscore its unwavering commitment to eliminating barriers and promoting prosperity for all citizens within the region. This commitment should reassure the audience of ECOWAS’s dedication to their well-being and prosperity.

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