The Ghana International Trade Fair Centre is undergoing a massive refurbishment funded by the Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund, EDAIF ahead of the upcoming 7th Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Fair which Ghana has accepted the bid to host.

The centre will be hosting economic operators from the 15 member countries in the sub-region to showcase their products and services in earnest. ECOWAS Trade Fair is a regional economic platform for accessing West Africa’s potential market of some 300 million consumers.

The fair seeks to promote economic integration and trade among citizens in member states, especially industrialists, investors, manufacturers, commercial operators and buyers, government and non-governmental agencies.

Previously held every four years, the ECOWAS Trade Fair is now a biennial event. Senegal hosted the first edition in 1995, followed by Ghana in 1999, Togo in 2003, Nigeria in 2005, Burkina Faso in 2008 and Togo in 2011.

The Seventh edition of ECOWAS Trade Fair is scheduled to take place from October 31th to November 11th, 2013 in Accra, under the theme: "Regional Integration through Trade".

The National Organising Committee and the Executing Agency assures the economic operators the Exhibition Halls and all other facilities at the Trade Fair Centre are ready for the hosting of the fair.

The public and exhibitors are assured of adequate security and reliable electricity and water supply during the fair. Each Member State is also expected to promote products or services which are of interest to its economy and the region.

The regional fair, was instituted to boost intra-community trade which presently hovers between 11 and 15 percent, and thereby contributing to the improved implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).