West Africa- European Union Economic Partnership Agreement
The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations were launched by the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and the European Union (EU) in accordance with Articles 36-38 of the Cotonou Agreement of June 2000. According to these provisions of the Cotonou Agreement, EPAs will be free trade agreements compatible with the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and will progressively remove barriers to trade between the parties and enhance cooperation in all areas related to trade.
The negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the West African region and the European Union (WA-EU EPA) initiated in October 2003 with the negotiating and coordination mandate given in December 2001 to the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions by the 25th session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. Negotiations were concluded with a regional Agreement initialled on 30 June 2014 by the Chief Negotiators of the West African region (ECOWAS and Mauritania) and the European Union. This concluded Agreement was approved by the 45th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Accra on 10 July 2014. The 46th Ordinary Session of the Conference held in Abuja on 6 December 2014, requested its signature by all Member States.
All EU 28 member states have signed the regional Agreement. The signing process is still not completed in the West Africa region. With the incomplete signing of the West Africa-EU regional EPA, the procedures for its ratification could not be initiated in West Africa, nor by the EU, as the Agreement provided for a uniform application for all states parties. Such uniform application is especially necessary for West Africa, in order to preserve the gains of regional integration in West Africa and the effectiveness of the Customs Union.
The UAE has become a major trade and investment partner for Africa, driven by its strategic interests in logistics, energy, agriculture, and digital infrastructure. Several African countries have signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) with the UAE, signalling a shift toward deeper bilateral economic integration.
The UAE signed its first bilateral trade agreement in February 2022 and aims to deepen ties with strategic partners around the world. The latest to join the list of partners are Nigeria and Sierra Leone, which signed their CEPAs on 13 January 2026 and 2 February 2026, respectively.
The CEPAs are meant to expand markets access opportunities, while facilitating investment flows through the lowering or eliminating tariffs, simpler customs procedures, clear and transparent rules etc.
Events
7th Regional Trade Facilitation Committee
THE ECOWAS REGIONAL TRADE FACILITATION MEETS TO EXAMINE THE STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF TRADE FACILITATION REFORMS AND ACCELRATE THE ELIMINATION OF NON-TARIFF BARRIERS
The ECOWAS Commission organized the 7th Meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Trade Facilitation Committee (RTFC) in Banjul, The Gambia from 15th to 17th June 2026. The objective of the meeting was to strengthen regional coordination and advance the implementation of trade facilitation reforms in ECOWAS by enhancing border management, addressing non-tariff barriers, and promoting digitalization of cross-border trade.
In his remarks on behalf of the Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment of the Gambia, Mr Lamin CAMARA, Permanent Secretary, welcomed delegates to the 7th Meeting of the RTFC in Banjul and expressed appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission for selecting The Gambia to host the Meeting. He underscored that trade facilitation remains central to the ECOWAS integration agenda and highlighted the importance of reducing the cost and time associated with cross-border trade.
Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have entered into Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA) with the European Union
Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have entered into separate Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA) with the European Union
Ghana and the European Union iEPA have entered into a good only based bilateral market access agreement. The interim economic partnership agreement between Ghana and the EU was negotiated in 2007 and ratified by Ghana in 2016 and went into effect 1 July 2021.
Under the Agreement, Ghana would progressively liberalise tariffs for 80% of the total volume of exports from the EU to Ghana, with cumulative tariff cuts for approximately 22% of applicable tariff lines in 2021, 50% by 2024 and 100% by 2029.
The Interim Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d’Ivoire and the EU was negotiated in 2008. Côte d’Ivoire ratified the Agreement in 2016. Under it, the EU provides duty-free, quota-free access for Côte d’Ivoire’s exports to the EU. For its part, Côte d’Ivoire is progressively reducing its tariffs to zero for 85 percent of its EU imports by 2029.
The gradual liberalization of Cote d’Ivoire’s market for EU products commenced 1 January 2019 with the process scheduled in five phases over a 10-year period, from 2019 to 2029. Côte d'Ivoire has liberalised 1080 tariff lines effective 1 January 2024, bringing the total number of liberalised tariff lines to 3385 or 55%.
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