The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 20th October 2025 to deepen collaboration and strengthen their partnership in support of inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth across West Africa.

Signed by H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and Mr. Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD, the agreement provides a framework for cooperation across critical policy areas such as regional economic integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), trade and investment facilitation, strengthening value chains, economic resilience, good governance and integrity, food security, education and skills development, the empowerment of women and youth, as well as technical cooperation, capacity building, and data development.

The visit also included a meeting with OECD and ECOWAS Ambassadors, including H.E. Luca Sabbatucci of Italy, Chair of the OECD External Relations Committee, H.E. Corinne Amori Brunet of Benin, co-facilitator of the Friends of Africa Group, and several ECOWAS Ambassadors and diplomats, to discuss cooperation at the member level. The discussions highlighted that the MoU between the OECD and ECOWAS marks a strong step towards a broader institutional framework for OECD–Africa cooperation.

This partnership reinforces the OECD’s commitment to evidence-based policymaking, regional cooperation, and knowledge sharing, while supporting ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 more broadly to address shared challenges and advance sustainable development outcomes for the people of West Africa.