The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) announced that the average UEMOA GDP is expected to grow by 7.1% in 2016. This is less than the growth rate that was forecast during the first two trimesters, but it is slightly above the 2015 growth rate of 7%. The region’s prospects for growth in the medium-term are positive overall, despite consistent security concerns in member countries such as Mali or Niger. Read on

As the main component of the ECOWAS Food Storage Strategy, the Regional Food Security Reserve constitutes a third line of response to crises, after local/community-level and national food reserves. Adopted in February 2013 at the ECOWAS Heads of State Conference in Yamoussoukro, the reserve is an important instrument of regional solidarity. Read on

To accelerate their industrialisation in the face of tough global competition, West African countries must leverage their comparative and competitive advantages. Several strategies are available to them. The first is integration into global value chains, by initially developing low added value and labour intensive activities before gradually moving upmarket in the value chain. A second strategy is based on the transformation of local products, such as mango, shea, cashew and textiles. A third strategy is that of regional value chains, which focuses on local production of goods for regional markets. Read on

A native of Pobè in Benin, Marcel Alain de Souza took office as the new President of the ECOWAS Commission on 8 April, succeeding Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso. Benin was designated to chair the Commission at the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on 17 December 2015. Read on