English 
Français 
Português 
The ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA), in collaboration with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), through the Programme to Support Competition and Safety of Consumer Products in Sub-Saharan Africa – West Africa Component (UEMOA/ECOWAS) (PACoSPro), funded by the European Union, organised in Abidjan, from 2 to 4 June 2026, a national information and awareness seminar on competition law and policy in West Africa.
The objective of the meeting was to raise awareness of community competition rules, to strengthen the capacities of the stakeholders involved and to promote a competition culture in the Member States of WAEMU and ECOWAS, with a particular focus on Côte d’Ivoire.
The seminar brought together various participants from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, professional organisations in the insurance, banking and financial institutions, pharmaceutical, and media sectors, as well as consumer associations.
At the opening of the proceedings, Mr Jean Jacques MONGBO, Adviser at the Office of the Representation of the WAEMU Commission in Abidjan, speaking on behalf of the Commissioner in charge of the Department of the Regional Market and Cooperation of the WAEMU Commission, welcomed the commitment of the Ivorian authorities to the holding of this seminar. He recalled that competition is an essential driver of the market economy, fostering innovation, the quality of goods and services, fair prices for consumers and the attractiveness of investments.
Then taking the floor, Mr Matthieu GONZALES, Programme Officer for Economic and Financial Governance at the Delegation of the European Union in Côte d’Ivoire, highlighted the importance of PACoSPro, financed by the European Union to the tune of five million euros. He stressed that this programme contributes to improving the business environment and strengthening the competitiveness of sub-Saharan African economies, particularly in West Africa, while welcoming its strong level of implementation.
Representing the Minister of Trade, Industry and Crafts, Mr Ibrahim COULIBALY, Technical Adviser, welcomed the participants and commended this initiative led by the WAEMU Commission, ERCA and PACoSPro. He underlined that Côte d’Ivoire has a legal and institutional framework designed to guarantee healthy competition and to protect consumers. He also invited the participants to make use of the tools made available to them and to share the lessons learned from the seminar within their respective structures.
The ARCC, represented by Prof. Eugène DAKITSE-BENISSAN, participated in the awareness-raising seminar on competition law and policy in West Africa.
In his presentation on the ECOWAS Community Competition Framework, Prof. DAKITSE-BENISSAN outlined the objectives of this policy, including business growth, price stabilization, full employment, and consumer protection. He also highlighted the ARCC’s role in combating anti-competitive practices, overseeing mergers and acquisitions, and implementing ongoing reforms, including the development of the ECIS system. Finally, participants were informed of the upcoming inaugural annual conference of the ARCC, scheduled for September 15–17, 2026, in Banjul, The Gambia.
This seminar highlighted the challenges associated with the effective enforcement of competition law in the WAEMU-ECOWAS region, as well as the need to strengthen awareness, institutional cooperation, and consumer protection in West Africa.
