ECOWAS Boosts the Gambia’s Capacity to Enhance Cross-Border Trade and Drive Regional Economic Development

The ECOWAS Commission organised an In-Country Support for The Gambia‘s National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) from the 3rd to 4th of October 2024 in Banjul, The Gambia.

The objective of the two-day workshop was to enhance the NTFC’s capacity to implement World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA) and African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) obligations, meet notification requirements, understand trade facilitation measures, and serve as a leading coordinating body for implementation of trade facilitation matters.

While welcoming delegates to the workshop, Mr. Lamin DAMPHA, the Permanent Secretary of The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, representing the Honourable Minister, emphasized the timely nature of the workshop. He noted that the workshop comes at a time when implemantation of WTO TFA and the AfCFTA Protocol on Goods across ECOWAS Member States have been critical for improving border procedures, reducing trade costs, boosting trade flows and attracting greater benefits from international trade, through the simplification of customs procedures and other border processes.

He appreciated ECOWAS and Trade Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) Program for the strong collaboration in organising the workshop in The Gambia to support the implementation of trade facilitation initiatives in order to boost trade.

In his opening remarks, H.E Miatta FRENCH, ECOWAS Permanent Resident Representative in The Gambia, highlighted the importance of the NTFC in The Gambia in ensuring implementation of key international, continental and regional trade facilitation initiatives.

The ECOWAS Resident Representative emphasised that trade facilitation remains crucial in ECOWAS’s mission to enhance regional integration. She highlighted several ECOWAS initiatives towards enhancing trade facilitation within the region including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS), the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET), the ECOWAS Customs Code, and the ECOWAS Trade Obstacles Alert Mechanism among others. She noted that with the right tools, knowledge, and collaboration, achieving a fully integrated and prosperous region was possible.

Ms. Benedicte MEILLE, the Representative of Trade Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) programme, World Bank Group (WBG), expressed her pleasure in participating in the workshop and highlighted the ongoing support provided by the TFWA programme. She highlighted that the programme facilitates activities like the workshop to support the efforts of the ECOWAS Commission and The Gambia’s NTFC in implementing trade facilitation initiatives which is crucial for enhancing cross-border trade. Ms. Meille stressed the TFWA‘s committment in ensuring that its support aligns with national priorities and fosters regional integration through trade facilitation initiatives across West Africa.

The workshop was attended by Officials from The Gambia Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment; The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA); The Gambia Immigration Department (GID); The Gambia Investment & Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA); as well as other National Trade Facilitation Committee Members from The Gambia; Representatives from the ECOWAS Commission and Representative from the World Bank Group.