THE THIRD GROUP OF THE ECOWAS TRADE LIBERALISATION SCHEME (ETLS) TASK FORCE HOLDS ITS INAUGURAL MEETING ON 5 AND 6 NOVEMBER 2026 IN COTONOU

THE THIRD GROUP OF THE ECOWAS TRADE LIBERALISATION SCHEME (ETLS) TASK FORCE HOLDS ITS INAUGURAL MEETING ON 5 AND 6 NOVEMBER 2026 IN COTONOU

The Third Group of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) Task Force held its inaugural meeting on 5 and 6 November 2026 in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. The meeting marks the beginning of a new four-year mandate aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Scheme and addressing persistent barriers to intra-regional trade.

The opening ceremony brought together the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. General Birame Diop; the Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of Cooperation of the Republic of Benin, Mr. Aristide Medenou; the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Hon. Dephue Y. Zuo; the ECOWAS Resident Representative to the Republic of Benin, H.E. Ambassador Siaka Cissoko; the outgoing Chairman of the ETLS Task Force, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas; the incoming Chairman, Hon. Musa Silla; and members of the Task Force, Directors of the ECOWAS Commission, the Permanent Secretariat of the Task Force and other participants.