West African regional integration must now be measured by the yardstick of projects concretely achieved. The African Development Bank Group (BAD) and the Economic Community of West African States Commission (CEDEAO) agreed, last 12 October in Abidjan, to strengthen their coordination to accelerate structuring investments and improve their execution.
At the heart of the discussions is a portfolio of 121 regional projects, valued at 1,91 billion units of account, or approximately 2,61 billion dollars. The two institutions aim to improve the preparation of operations, streamline their implementation, and establish an action schedule accompanied by concrete measures.
The Abidjan-Lagos corridor constitutes one of the flagship projects of this cooperation. Its development is intended to facilitate cross-border movement and strengthen trade between the sub-region's economies by improving links between markets and transport infrastructure.
Common priorities also cover early warning systems, human capital development, trade, and investment. These are all levers designed to consolidate the economic resilience of West African countries and support their growth.
An execution schedule until 2027. This consultation takes place as the BAD regional integration strategy for West Africa has been extended until the end of 2027.
The challenge consists of transforming institutional commitments into measurable results, thanks to better coordination of interventions and more efficient project execution. At the end of the meeting, Abdul Kamara, Acting Vice President of the BAD for Regional Development, Integration, and Business Delivery, reiterated the role of regional integration in strengthening resilience and improving living conditions.
For his part, Anthony Oluwatosin Ogunjimi, the new Vice President of the CEDEAO Commission, reaffirmed the strategic nature of the partnership with the BAD. Published on 23/10/26 17:11.
Dr. Ange Ponou