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| ECOWAS STATES |
Members of the ECOWAS Parliament
ended its two-day dialogue on cross border challenges and opportunities for
trade and finance, with a resolution that ECOWAS should pursue more vigorously
the implementation of the single currency.
A communiqué issued by Mr Ike
Ekweremadu, Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament at the weekend said members also
resolved that ECOWAS should take firm measures to address the numerous barriers
to cross border investment, particularly corruption.
The dialogue which was organised by
the National Institute for Legislative Studies, National Assembly in
collaboration with the African Capacity Building Foundation and ECOWAS
Parliament brought together stakeholders to discuss ways of deepening
intra-regional trade relations among ECOWAS countries.
Participants decided that ECOWAS
should involve more stakeholders in its regional integration process,
particularly civil society organisations, evolve strategies to tackle the
non-implementation of integration and particularly on intra-community trade and
finance.
They called for the establishment of
protocol of export products standards in order to improve access to global
markets, engage more with innovative development finance initiatives to access
low cost funds for development.
After careful observation of various
issues discussed members came to a conclusion that the enhancement of exports
ECOWAS could significantly earn more revenue to promote infrastructure.
Members identified the need for the
deepening of industrialisation efforts in the Region, promoting regional trade
competitiveness through diversified product regimes rather than dominance of
common primary products, strengthen the regulatory institutions to monitor
product quality and enforce laid down standards.
Mr Ekweremadu expressed the appreciation of
participants to President John Dramani Mahama for hosting the event and his
commitment to the development of the regional trade and investment-GNA.
