A Nigerian university don, Professor Jonathan Aremu, on Wednesday in Bissau, Ginea Bissau, warned that the use of multiple currencies by the members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) could hamper economic integration in the sub-region.
The Professor of International Economic Relations at Covenant University in Ogun State, South-West Nigeria, was delivering a paper titled, Conceptual Issues in ECOWAS Integration at the First 2023 Parliamentary Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Bissau, Guinea Bissau.
Aremu, who is also a Consultant on ECOWAS Common Investment Market, said that the implementation of the ECO was a key vision on the ECOWAS integration agenda.
The seminar with the theme ECOWAS Common Currency and the Inter-bank Payment System as Promoters of Regional Trade was organised to provide a forum for discussions on ways to actualise the implementation of the region’s single currency, the ECO.
Aremu said that the use of a common currency by ECOWAS countries would pave way towards achieving the Economic/Monetary Union.
“Economic/Monetary Union is the last step in an economic integration process; where in addition to a common market, it also requires integration of economic policies in both monetary and fiscal including common currency,” he said.
Harmonising the monetary policies of each member state, according to him, is also key to actualising the ECOWAS economic integration to break trade barriers and the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).
He explained that if the ETLS was successfully implemented it will make ECOWAS economically stronger and more attractive.
“As ETLS makes West Africa a more integrated market, that is attractive to investors both within and outside the region, the initiative indirectly creates a platform that increases micro, small and medium enterprises visibility.
“And, bargaining power when negotiating further agreements like on trade and investment across the continent into the global trading arrangements under the World Trade Organisation.
“Effective implementation of ETLS will not only enhance trade between ECOWAS member states but create a web of positive interactions and interdependency that would build trust and reduce the risk of conflict between them,” Aremu posited.
He urged the bloc to learn from the experiences of other regions that have successfully integrated their regional economies.
The 15 members of ECOWAS are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
-All Rights Reserved-
Permission to use any material, including text, still photograph, audio and video from this site is granted subject to permission being formally sought and, if granted, appropriate credit must duly be given to The News Room as the source.
Stay connected, get exclusive updates, and be the first to know about all the exciting things happening. Whether you’re looking for insights, tips, or just want to be part of an amazing community, our WhatsApp group is the place to be!
👉 Don’t miss out. Click the link and be part of something awesome! 🚀