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The meeting was to brainstorm on priority infrastructure and road transport projects in the West Africa region in a bid to deepen economic integration.
The meeting, which was a preparatory technical meeting, was held under the European External Investment Plan (EIP).
Participants from ECOWAS AND UEMOA commissions, shared ideas and reviewed information on the Region’s initiatives in the two sectors to facilitate free movement and trade.
Addressing the press on the sidelines of the programme, Paul Koffi Koffi, Commissioner in charge of the Spatial Planning and Transport of the UEMOA, said the two regional blocs want to ensure free movement of people and goods.
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He emphasized on the need to have good road network and a functioning joint border post.
“The first thing we need to look at the regulatory framework. We need to make sure all the roads, all the laws are good and they are smooth so that people can move as well was goods,” he said.
“Secondly we need to consider the state of our roads. We need to have a good road network that work all along the corridor and we need to make sure also that we have good joint border post,” he added.
On his part, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Mr Pathe Gueye, addressed concerns raised by Ghana on the non-compliance of the axle load policy by member states.
He said the issue was a real concern for ECOWAS and not just Ghana.
“At the ECOWAS and UEMOA level, we want to work to have a harmonization of the axel load policy not just in one country but across the region,” Gueye said.
He said trade among Africa states amount to just 10 percent, expressing hope that the establishment of the joint border posts will be boost it to at least 20%.
According to him, the joint border posts will eliminate double taxation, fight corruption, increase revenue for the various custom offices of member states.