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Food security & Nutrition

Employment

Urban-rural development

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SWAC

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The food economy - rural and urban, primary, secondary and tertiary, formal and informal - is much larger than the agricultural economy alone and has the potential to create more growth and more jobs. Since it focuses on the domestic market, which has a high growth rate, it is not as volatile and should be the keystone of economic policies. Cross‑cutting and multi-sectoral strategies are needed to enhance the food economy’s potential. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Regional maize flows

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SWAC

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Social and business networks: West African migration forms the basis of strong social and business networks. These networks contribute to the regional integration of agribusiness markets such as the maize market. Read on

28 Nov 2016

5th UEMOA Regional Trade Fair

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Cotonou is getting ready to host the 5th UEMOA Regional Trade Fair, which aims to foster more economic integration within the UEMOA. From 25 November until 10 December, some 400 exhibition stands will attract visitors’ interests and promote their products under the “Made in UEMOA” label. Read on

23 Sep 2016

UEMOA: 7.1 % GDP growth projected in 2016

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UEMOA

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The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) announced that the average UEMOA GDP is expected to grow by 7.1% in 2016. This is less than the growth rate that was forecast during the first two trimesters, but it is slightly above the 2015 growth rate of 7%. The region’s prospects for growth in the medium-term are positive overall, despite consistent security concerns in member countries such as Mali or Niger. Read on

21 Sep 2016

President Buhari: Nigeria knows the way forward

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Nigeria

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In this op-ed, Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria, responds to concerns about Africa's capacity grow economically, by presenting the project he is currently implementing in his country. He said it is time for African countries to lay the foundation for a development that transforms people’s lives and frees them from their dependence on raw materials. The country faces a threatening recession, so its path towards inclusive growth is still long. However, Nigeria’s challenges are not the most important factor, but it is the fact that Nigeria now knows its weaknesses and knows the direction it should it take to make the country’s emergence a reality. Read on

14 Sep 2016

The EU plans to encourage investment in Africa

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Development co-operation

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European Union

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The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker announced the new European External Investment Plan (EIP) in his State of the Union speech on 14 September. The EU aims to encourage private sector investment in Africa and the EU neighbourhood. With EUR 3.35 billion from the EU budget and the European Development Fund, the Commission intends to mobilise, with guarantees of support, up to EUR 44 billion of investments. Read on

07 Sep 2016

ECOWAS customs union challenged

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Côte d'Ivoire

Ghana

Nigeria

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Development co-operation

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West African finance ministers met in Dakar on 15-16 August during the 18th meeting of the joint ECOWAS-UEMOA Committee on the management of the Common External Tariff (CET). The objective of the meeting was to discuss two major concerns: the regional economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union and the implications for the ECOWAS Common External Tariff. Read on

29 Jul 2016

5th Friendship Summit between Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire

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Leaders from Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire met at the 5th Conference of the Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation in Yamoussokro on 29 July. It is the first official visit of President Christian Kaboré to Côte d’Ivoire. The relationship of the two countries was put under strain, in particular over questions related to the international arrest warrant for ousted Burkinabe President Blaise Campaoré and President Ouattara’s decision to grant him Ivoirian nationality, ending the prospect of his extradition to Burkina Faso. Read on

15 Jul 2016

Possible implications of Brexit for Nigeria

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The decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union has created shockwaves at the international level, with widespread discussion of the consequences for the rest of the world. This article presents different analyses of the implications of Brexit for Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa, which has significant economic ties with the UK. Read on

15 Jul 2016

Global and regional options for industrialisation strategies

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