Six West African microfinance networks joined forces to create a new regional institute, the Financière de l’Afrique de l’Ouest. Based in Dakar, the new financing institute will start with 4.5 million clients and 800 points of sale. Read on

The fourth high-level meeting on “Peaceful transhumance and livestock mobility in the Sahel and West African coastal countries” was held by ECOWAS from 27-29 September 2017 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Livestock ministers from across the region endorsed the funding modalities to establish the Regional Investment Programme for Livestock Development in Coastal Countries (PRIDEC), targeting the livestock sector of five coastal countries (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo). PRIDEC is designed to complement the Regional Support Project for Pastoralism in the Sahel (PRAPS). Read on

For the sixth time, the High-Level Committee on Food Security of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) took stock of the region’s food and nutrition situation. West African leaders met following the meeting of the UEMOA ministers in charge of agriculture and livestock, on 9 June in Niamey, Niger, under the chairmanship of Niger President Issoufou Mahamadou. Read on

The eight Commissioners of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) were sworn in on 9 May 2017. In accordance with Article 28 of the UEMOA Treaty, the swearing-in ceremony took place at the UEMOA Court of Justice in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The Commission is the Union’s executive body in charge of ensuring the proper functioning of the Union. It is composed of eight members, called Commissioners, who are nationals of UEMOA Member States. Three former Commissioners have been reappointed. Read on