In fulfillment of his mandate to promote regional trade integration, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) Task Force, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas led a high-level delegation to The Gambia and Senegal from 9 to 15 March 2025. The mission aimed to identify and mitigate obstacles that hinder intra-community trade between ECOWAS Member States.
The delegation held strategic meetings with high-level political authorities, including ministers and heads of customs agencies, in order to assess the measures in place to facilitate the free movement of goods and people. At the same time, it held consultations with representatives of the private sector, aiming to understand their concerns and integrate their contributions into the process of strengthening regional trade.
As part of the mission, the delegation made a field visit to the Banjul-Farafenni corridor, which crosses the Senegambia Bridge, an essential infrastructure for regional connectivity. During the discussions, critical issues related to trade transit were identified, including the difficulties faced by Gambia’s ETLS-approved products in accessing the Senegalese market and the challenges posed by restrictions and harassment at the border between the two countries.
In response, Dr. Chambas praised the spirit of cooperation and fraternity that characterizes relations between The Gambia and Senegal, reflected in the regular meetings of the Gambia-Senegal Joint Commission. He stressed the need to strengthen dialogue and implement concrete solutions, urging both sides to accelerate the automation of border customs posts and operationalize the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) in order to streamline and strengthen the efficiency of trade flow between the two states.
Additionally, Dr. Chambas recommended the establishment of an instant alert mechanism to promptly address trade disruptions, enabling a coordinated and effective response between road operators and competent authorities.
The mission culminated with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the ETLS Task Force and the authorities of The Gambia and Senegal, representing a significant step forward in the consolidation of regional trade integration in the ECOWAS space.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
