ECOWAS Experts, Ministers Conclude Freetown Meeting With Roadmap for Regional Investment

A two-day high-level engagement bringing together experts and ministers from across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has concluded in Freetown, setting out a coordinated framework to drive regional development ahead of the West Africa Economic Integration and Investment Summit 2026.
The Expert Group Meeting and Ministerial Conference, held under the theme “Powering Regional Integration through: Energy Trade, Strategic Minerals, Agribusiness and Digital Transformation,” focused on aligning policies and investment priorities across four key sectors considered central to West Africa’s economic transformation.
Hosted in Freetown, the meeting convened ministers, senior technical experts, development partners and private sector representatives, all working toward a shared vision of increased investment, industrial growth and deeper regional integration.
Speaking at the close of the meeting, Special Envoy for the Summit, Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, said the engagement marked a deliberate effort to bridge the longstanding gap between technical experts and policymakers.