Began on September 28, the 3rd Business Forum of ECOWAS which was attended by 400 private sector and civil society was completed on 1 October 2010 with the adoption of a series of recommendations with an accompanying action plan.
The recommendations of the Forum include Abidjan on 3 strategic points, promoting self-sufficiency in energy, improving the business environment, and financing of energy sector.
On the first point, the Forum requested the ECOWAS Commission to declare the decade of self-sufficiency in energy to enable the Governments of the region to give priority to development strategies. Participants also called on member states to strengthen their rural electrification and to set minimum targets for renewable energy adoption and implementation by member states of ECOWAS.
With regard to improving the business environment, the forum recommended the establishment of a regional legal framework in order to ensure private investment in the energy sector. In this context, it has been asked to design and implement reforms to open the energy sector to the private sector.
In addition, he was asked to build human capital in the sector and promote the use of local materials less energy and environmentally friendly.
The Forum recommended the adoption and ratification of the ECOWAS Protocol on Energy defining the regulatory roles and responsibilities of states in the process of developing the sector. The Forum also asked to implement in the region of incentives to encourage private investment in independent power projects.
Regarding the third item on the financing of the Energy Sector, the Forum recommended the support of ECOWAS to private entrepreneurs in the financing and development of energy projects. The Forum then asked to inject more resources for rehabilitation and maintenance of existing infrastructure.
In addition, the Forum adopted a plan of action to implement in time and space the recommendations outlined above.
Recall that besides the 3rd Forum, a ceremony of awards for innovation in energy, entrepreneurship and the free movement were awarded to winners.
Lynays, an Ivorian Company producing a management system and energy saving has won first prize for innovation.
The group CERCO (Circle of Study and Building of Knowledge), working in the field of Education and Training in several member states of ECOWAS was awarded Best Entrepreneur of the region.
Finally, based on a field survey, Burkina Faso has repotted the first prize of free movement within the ECOWAS region.
Abidjan Forum was organized by the ECOWAS Commission, with support from the European Union.