From November 19 to 21, 2025, a series of high-level technical meetings focused on          regional economic integration in West Africa are being held in Accra, Ghana. The discussions, led by ECOWAS Experts, Member States, and key stakeholders, aim to strengthen collaborative efforts towards promoting economic growth and integration across the region.

The official joint opening ceremony for these meetings was attended by high level Ghanaian officials, including Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Trade, Agribusiness, and              Industry; Hon. Emelia Arthur, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture; Hon. Eric Opoku,        Minister of Food and Agriculture; Dr. Kalilou Sylla, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic     Affairs and Agriculture; as well as Amb. Francis Danti Kotia, Coordinating Director for Multilateral and International Organizations from the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.       Representatives from UNDP, AfCFTA Secretariat, TradeMark Africa, AGRA, and various other partners were also present.

Organized by the ECOWAS Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, these meetings aim to promote synergies between stakeholders and support key regional projects that drive economic integration, enhance trade, boost agricultural productivity, improve food security, and foster inclusive economic growth, in line with the ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

In his opening remarks, Amb. Francis Danti Kotia, representing Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. SAMUEL OKUDZETO ABLAKWA, emphasized the importance of building          resilient economies. He highlighted the need for a transformative approach to human         development and stressed the importance of transforming borders into interconnected spaces for the free movement of goods and people. He reiterated Ghana’s commitment to the regional integration agenda of ECOWAS and the promotion of development diplomacy.

In her remarks, Hon. Emelia ARTHUR highlighted the importance of fisheries and aqua-culture for food security in Ghana. She provided details of selected initiatives being                implemented including digital reforms, capacity building across Member States, promoting cross border fish trade and advancing scientific research. 

In his remarks, Hon. Eric OPOKU underscored the need for a paradigm shift in agriculture, particularly through supporting value chain development. He stated that the Government of Ghana was implementing a number of interventions, including the FEED Ghana                 programme which will support farmer cooperatives, establish farmer services centers, and promote seed sovereignty. Programmes like these would take advantage of the youthful population and arable land but will require concerted efforts to address the existing         challenges in the sector and boost the agricultural value chain from “farm to fork”.

In his speech, Dr. Kalilou SYLLA, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and                   Agriculture, highlighted the dual challenges of conflict and climate change, which continue to hinder progress in the region. He commended West Africa’s resilience, noting that the region’s 4.3% growth rate outpaces global growth despite significant challenges.

“We are a resilient region thanks to the leadership of our Heads of State, who provide              guidance and vision through ECOWAS 2050. In line with this vision, the Department of                Economic Affairs and Agricultural is implementing a coherent set of programmes in the areas of agriculture, trade, industry, and fisheries. » said Dr. SYLLA.

According to Commissioner Dr. SYLLA, these technical meetings, which begin today, will work towards harmonizing national and regional strategies, and reviewing mechanisms for effective monitoring and evaluation. They will also explore opportunities to strengthen      Agricultural trade data systems, improve the technical capacities of member states, and accelerate the implementation of the AfCFTA.

Hon. Elizabeth OFOSU-ADJARE, Ghana’s Minister of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry,    reminded attendees that these discussions must go beyond dialogue and focus on concrete actions to deepen regional integration through improved market access and the free movement of people.

Minister OFOSU-ADJARE also highlighted the challenges of low intra-regional trade within ECOWAS. However, she stressed that this presents an opportunity for ECOWAS to refocus on improving coordination, production, and market access as the foundations for sustainable economic growth. She also pointed to the AfCFTA as a game-changing initiative, offering a single market that spans 54 African countries, with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion and a population of 1.4 billion people.

Goodwill messages were also delivered by UNDP, AfCFTA Secretariat, TradeMark Africa and AGRA.

The Experts in Accra will participate in four major meetings over the course of the next few days: (i) the 3rd AfCFTA Regional Committee (RAC) meeting, which will review the progress of the AfCFTA implementation and harmonize national and regional efforts; (ii) a regional workshop assessing the progress of ECOAGRIS data collection and developing a roadmap for revitalizing the platform; (iii) a technical workshop to establish an advisory committee under the ECOWAS-FCWC-SRFC agreement to enhance cooperation in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors; and (iv) a regional forum focused on improving the business environment for safe and quality products along the Abidjan–Lagos corridor, addressing challenges related to standards, sanitary measures, and technical barriers to trade.

On November 18, 2025, prior to the launch of the meetings, Dr. Kalilou Sylla met with H.E. Eric Opoku, Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, to commend Ghana’s ongoing support for regional programs in trade and agriculture, as well as its strong commitment to regional integration.