Ghana will host the Fifth Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry (ECOMOTI-5) in Accra from 11 to 12 June 2026, as regional leaders seek to strengthen economic integration and coordinate responses to evolving global trade and investment challenges.
The announcement was made at a press briefing by the ECOWAS Director of Trade, Mr Kolawole A Sofola; the Executive Director, Dr Simeon K Koffi; the Director of Industry, Mr Kofi Addo; and Ghana’s Director of Trade Development at the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mr Ebo Quayson.
Addressing the media, the officials emphasised that the meeting comes at a critical juncture as the global trade and investment environment undergoes significant transformation. They noted that shifts in multilateral trade governance, the implementation of continental integration initiatives, the emergence of new bilateral trade agreements and increasing competition for foreign direct investment have created both opportunities and challenges for ECOWAS member states.
According to the officials, these developments underscore the importance of a coordinated regional approach to protecting and advancing the economic interests of the West African bloc.
During the two-day meeting, ministers will consider reports and recommendations from experts in trade, industry, investment and competition. Key discussions will centre on the outcomes of the 14th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference (MC14), progress in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), trade facilitation measures, the removal of non-tariff barriers and the advancement of the ECOWAS Common Market Roadmap.
The ministers are also expected to review the region’s trade and economic relations with major international partners, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and China. Officials stressed that preserving a unified regional trade policy remains essential to safeguarding the ECOWAS Customs Union and the Common External Tariff framework.
On investment and industrial development, participants will examine strategies aimed at accelerating industrialisation, strengthening regional manufacturing capacity and operationalising the ECOWAS Common Investment Market (ECIM) to attract increased foreign direct investment into the region.
The meeting will further deliberate on measures to enhance competition regulation and strengthen consumer protection systems across member states as part of efforts to create a more competitive and integrated regional market.
ECOMOTI-5 is expected to bring together trade and industry ministers, senior officials from ECOWAS and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), as well as representatives from regional and international organisations.
The summit is expected to conclude with the adoption of key policy decisions and recommendations designed to deepen regional economic integration, boost trade and investment flows and support sustainable economic growth across West Africa.
