The ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandje Toure-Litse, has charged members of the technical committee responsible for selecting members of the proposed Regional Business Council (EBC) for ECOWAS to ensure that the Council is inclusive and reflects the diverse range of businesses in the region.

In a message to the opening of a three-day meeting of the committee which opened in Abuja on Monday, 5th August 2024, the Commissioner characterized the proposed Council as "a crucial body that will shape the economic trajectory of the region, by “prioritizing competitiveness and investment as drivers of the growth and development of the region.”

In the speech, which was delivered by the Director of the Private Sector, Dr. Tony Elumelu, the Commissioner said that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a free trade area of most of Africa was signed in 2018 with headquarters in Ghana, “represents a unique chance for our businesses to access new markets, increase trade and attract foreign direct investment.”

In order to realise this objective, she emphasized the need to harness the “collective effort of stakeholders, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s, which are the backbone of the economies’ of the Member States of the region.”

She said that in order to give expression to the ECOWAS transition to a citizen driven Community, the region had widened the participation of the private sector, particularly with the establishment of relevant structures with mandate of facilitating the operationalization of the EBC.

The EBC, she added, should comprise eminent business leaders who can participate the represent the business sector at meetings of the decision-making organs of the Community with the Regional Business Associations expected to play an important role in this process.

“As we select members of the EBC, we must ensure that all businesses, regardless of size or sector, have a seat at the table without ignoring the MSME’s who need to be represented in order to ensure that their peculiarities are addressed through the Council,” she said.

She urged the members of the technical committee to be guided in their selection by some principles such as representation, inclusivity, competitiveness and influence so that the EBC would help the Community realise its ‘ultimate goal of the creation of a prosperous and inclusive ECOWAS region where all businesses can thrive and contribute to the growth and development of the Community.”

In his remarks, the Interim President of the technical working group, Mr. Gerald Amangwa stressed the important role of the private sector, being the “very heart of the development process and expressed the three-day conference will afford the members an opportunity to conclude the outstanding issues in the process in time for the inauguration of the Council by December 2024.”

During the three-day meeting, members of the technical committee will be presented with and discuss the membership, structure and operations of the Council as well as the key steps and requirements for the launch and operationalization of the Council, among others.