The ECOWAS Commission held the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Steering Committee for the Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) Programme from June 17 to 19, 2026, in Banjul, The Gambia. The event marked a key step in advancing regional trade under a programme funded by the European Union through its Global Gateway initiative and implemented jointly by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC). Delegates from the ECOWAS Commission, UEMOA Commission, European Union Delegation, ECOWAS member states, Mauritania, regional private-sector bodies, and implementing partners attended the session. They reviewed progress since the programme's launch on June 17, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria, assessed governance frameworks, and examined the report on priority value chain selection. The committee adopted the terms of reference for its operations, approved the value chain selection report, and confirmed two priority sectors: formulated complementary foods and pharmaceuticals. A six-month work plan was also endorsed, with recommendations to improve institutional coordination and stakeholder engagement. Kalilou Sylla, commissioner for economic affairs and agriculture at ECOWAS, stressed the need for clear performance indicators to track outcomes such as increased trade share, higher local pharmaceutical production, and reduced customs barriers by the programme's conclusion. Representatives from participating institutions praised the progress achieved and reiterated their support for the programme's implementation to benefit regional businesses and economies.
Kalilou Sylla calls for measurable results in trade and pharmaceutical production while the programme remains externally funded and managed by UNIDO and ITC. The focus on indicators suggests past initiatives may have lacked accountability, leaving regional gains uncertain. Nigerian businesses will only benefit if implementation moves beyond reports to actual market access. The reliance on EU funding raises questions about long-term sustainability under ECOWAS oversight.
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