The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Launches Regional E-Commerce Committee to Accelerate Digital Trade Integration
In his opening remarks during the launch ceremony, Dr. Tony Luka Elumelu, the Acting Director of Private Sector, ECOWAS Commission highlighted the private sector as both a key driver and beneficiary of digital transformation. He stressed the significance of e-commerce in unlocking opportunities under African Continental Free Trade Agreement and called for robust implementation of digital reforms. He described the establishment of the Regional E-Commerce Committee as pivotal to fostering private-sector-led digital economies.
Madam Sally Koroma, the representative of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chair of the Meeting emphasized the potential of e-commerce to boost inclusive growth. She highlighted the importance of harmonized regulations, secure infrastructure, digital literacy, and tailored financing to unlock the full benefits of digital trade. She commended the ECOWAS E-Commerce Strategy as critical to addressing these barriers and called for collective action among Member States, development partners, and the private sector to move from ambition to implementation, and build an inclusive, gender-responsive digital economy.
In his goodwill message, Mr. Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) congratulated ECOWAS on its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of regional cooperation. He celebrated the adoption of the ECOWAS Regional E-Commerce Strategy and highlighted the role of digitalisation in realizing ECOWAS Vision 2050. He reaffirmed UNCTAD's commitment to support digital reform, encourage inclusive digital ecosystems, and advance women's economic empowerment within the region. He closed with a call to action to make e-commerce a driver of prosperity, innovation, and regional unity.
In the keynote address, on behalf of Madame Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mr. Kolawole SOFOLA, Director of Trade of the ECOWAS Commission, underscored the significance of the launch of the Regional E-Commerce Committee during the 50th Anniversary celebrations of ECOWAS, noting the progress that had been made in advancing regional integration and the opportunities that lay ahead through digitalisation. He emphasized that the Committee would serve as a platform for implementing strategic goals, aligning policies, and accelerating digital trade across borders.
Mr. Sofola called for continued collaboration across all stakeholders to realise the Strategy's vision of an inclusive and sustainable digital future for West Africa. Finally, he declared the ECOWAS Regional E-Commerce Committee launched.
The newly established Committee is a central feature of the governance framework outlined in the ECOWAS E-Commerce Strategy, which was adopted by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in July 2023. It is designed to steer the implementation of digital trade reforms, foster inter-institutional coordination, and promote inclusive participation across the region, particularly of women, youth, and MSMEs.
The launch and first meeting were attended by representatives of the Ministries responsible for Trade from ECOWAS Member States and the internal working group on e-commerce, consisting of key directorates and agencies of the ECOWAS Commission. Prior to the launch, the internal working group on e-commerce received a training on the e-Trade Reform Tracker, a tool for monitoring implementation of the E-Commerce Strategy. Both activities were supported by the UNCTAD and the Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (WARDIP) funded by World Bank.
The meeting considered the overview of the ECOWAS E-Commerce Strategy, continental and regional digital initiatives as well as key initiatives from Member States in advancing e-commerce. The meeting concluded with the adoption of the terms of reference for the Committee and a call for continued collaboration among ECOWAS Member States to promote implementation of the E-Commerce Strategy.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
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