Africa-Press. The issue of removing obstacles that hinder the establishment of an effective common market in West Africa is at the forefront of a two-day meeting in Côte d’Ivoire, initiated by a regional economic community, with the participation of experts, institutions, and stakeholders in national production chains.
These meetings focus on ways to improve regional market integration and ensure the connection of agricultural products from major markets, such as Kano in Nigeria and Kumasi in Ghana, to major cities on the continent, thereby enhancing the flow of goods and intra-regional trade.
Producers emphasize that existing challenges remain, primarily the complexities and administrative procedures at border crossings, which hinder the transport and marketing of goods in other West African markets. They also point out that transportation costs remain significantly high, reducing the viability of regional trade.
Mamadou Sisoko, the honorary president of a network of farmers and producers in West Africa, believes that developing rail transport is an urgent priority, noting the lack of necessary infrastructure.
He explained that transporting corn from Bobo Dioulasso to Dakar could cost more than its selling price in the market due to reliance on trucks and the long duration of transport, making the process economically unfeasible.
The regional economic community acknowledges these difficulties and is working to diversify its projects in the transport sector. Kolawole Sofola, the trade director at the commission, confirmed that there are plans to develop rail and air transport, in addition to enhancing maritime corridors, especially since twelve member states rely on a coastal economy, making the maritime sector a strategic focus in integration efforts, not limited to land routes alone.
Estimates from a regional economic organization indicate that about $10 billion of trade in West Africa is not reflected in official statistics, highlighting the size of the informal economy and the challenges associated with measuring commercial activity in the region.
