ECOWAS STRENGTHENS WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT THROUGH A REGIONAL FORTNIGHT ON CROSS-BORDER TRADE IN LOMÉ, TOGO

The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (ECGD), will organize a Regional Fortnight on Women’s Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade from 18 to 28 June 2026 in Lomé, Republic of Togo.

This initiative forms part of the implementation of the ECOWAS Gender and Trade Action Plan, as well as the activities marking the conclusion of the celebrations of the Organization’s fiftieth anniversary. It aims to highlight the vital contribution of women cross-border traders to regional integration, food security, and the economic development of West Africa.

Under the theme of women’s economic empowerment and leadership in regional trade, the Fortnight will bring together representatives of Member States, women traders’ associations, financial institutions, border administrations, the private sector, and technical and financial partners. It will provide a regional platform for dialogue, experience-sharing, and consultation on the challenges and opportunities associated with women’s small-scale cross-border trade.

The programme will include, among other activities, a mini-awareness caravan along strategic border corridors, a regional trade fair and exhibition showcasing products from agricultural, fisheries, and artisanal value chains led by women, as well as a capacity-building week dedicated to ECOWAS Community instruments, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and mechanisms for promoting women’s entrepreneurship. These activities will also provide an opportunity to capitalize on lessons learned from regional campaigns conducted by ECOWAS between 2023 and 2025 along the Tema–Ouagadougou, Dakar–Banjul–Bissau, and Abidjan–Lagos corridors.

Through this Fortnight, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to promoting a more inclusive, secure, and prosperous regional trade environment by placing women traders at the heart of the West African integration process. The event will contribute to the development of an agenda of actions and strategic projects aimed at sustainably strengthening the capacities, competitiveness, and access to economic opportunities of women engaged in small-scale cross-border trade across the ECOWAS region.