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West African leaders inaugurate common external tariff

By on December 17, 2014

The Heads of State of West African countries on Monday in Abuja inaugurated the Common External Tariff of the Economic Community of West African States, which comes into force on January 1, 2015.

By this, same duties and taxes will be applied on goods entering the ECOWAS area regardless of their points of entry and destination.

President Goodluck Jonathan, in his welcome address, reviewed the major issues that had affected the region in recent months, especially the situation in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea-Bissau, before reaffirming the commitment of Nigeria to supporting any process in favour of peace and stability.

He observed that the West African region was the fastest growing on the continent with an average economic growth of seven per cent in 2013 against 6.6 per cent in 2012.

“Our region proves a leading investment destination with the influx of foreign direct investment that has recently been recorded there. This situation is a result of our huge market and various integration programmes that continue to attract regional and foreign investors,” Jonathan said.

The Ghanaian President, John Mahama, cited the challenges in the sub-region to include drug trafficking and cross-boundary banditry, terrorism, the Ebola Virus Disease as well as the forthcoming elections in five countries in 2015.

He wished the governments and peoples of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Togo, Guinea and Burkina Faso peaceful, credible and free and fair elections.

The Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in West Africa, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, noted the impact of the Ebola Virus Disease, which had affected some 11,300 people and caused the death of more than 6,500 persons in the sub region.

Chambas promised the continued support of the United Nations and its specialised agencies in the fight against the disease and its commitment to support states to hold free and transparent elections.

The President, ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Ouedraogo, expressed the solidarity of the organisation with Nigeria in its fight against extremism and terrorism, and also sent “special greetings” to Michel Kafando, the Acting President of Burkina Faso.

 

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