The ECOWAS Fee, with the help of the Commerce Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) Programme, organised the launch of the ECOWAS Regional Commerce Facilitation Committee (ERTFC) on 21 February 2022 in Lomé, Togo.
The launching ceremony, which was moderated by Mr Kolawole Sofola, Appearing Director of Commerce, featured addresses by H.E. Kodjo Adedze, Togo’s Minister for Commerce, Business and Native Consumption; Mr Tei Konzi, ECOWAS Commissioner for Commerce, Customs and Free Motion of Individuals; and Ms Barbara Rippel, Head of the GIZ TFWA Programme.
In his deal with, Minister Kodjo Adedze, on behalf of H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, President of the Togolese Republic, welcomed individuals to the historic launch and inaugural assembly of the ECOWAS RTFC. He pressured the significance of the ECOWAS RTFC in offering recommendation and help for the implementation of commerce facilitation initiatives within the area. He concluded by launching the ECOWAS Regional Commerce Facilitation Committee and urging its members to work in the direction of simplifying exports, imports, and transit procedures inside and outdoors the area.
On behalf of H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Fee, Commissioner Tei Konzi recalled that the creation of the ECOWAS RTFC by Determination C/DEC.1/6/21 taken by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in June 2022, goals at facilitating the motion of products inside ECOWAS Member States. He pressured that to realize this goal, it’s vital to determine a really robust collaboration between financial operators and authorities establishments similar to ministries in command of commerce administration and customs.
On behalf of Ms Barbara Rippel, Mr Kelechi Okoro, representing GIZ, welcomed the individuals and thanked the ECOWAS Fee for its efforts in helping Member States to implement commerce facilitation reforms. He reiterated the dedication of the Commerce Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) Programme to help ECOWAS in facilitating the motion of products within the area.
The primary assembly of the Committee, held on 21 and 23 February 2022 and chaired by Mr Kyeremeh Yeboa of the Republic of Ghana, reviewed strategic regional commerce facilitation initiatives, and adopted a piece programme. On the finish of the assembly, individuals thanked the host nation for the superb providers supplied to organise the occasion and counseled the ECOWAS Fee and its companions for the implementation of commerce facilitation initiatives and the continuing growth of latest devices such because the regional commerce and transport facilitation technique.
As a part of the occasion, the members of the Committee, led by Commissioner Tei Konzi, visited the autonomous Port of Lomé on 23 February 2022. They availed themselves of the chance to understand the trendy services and the digital system put in place in Lomé to enhance the move of products.
The operationalisation of the ECOWAS RTFC marks a turning level within the implementation of the measures contained within the WTO Commerce Facilitation Settlement, also referred to as the BALI Settlement. The Regional Committee, which is an umbrella for the nationwide committees, is a lever that can make our Group market a market of free motion of products.
