UEMOA launches 7th local consumption initiative to boost regional trade

The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) has launched the 7th edition of its ‘October, Month of Local Consumption’ initiative. The campaign aims to bolster regional integration and economic sovereignty in response to global trade shifts and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Professor Filiga Michel Sawadogo, Commissioner for the Regional Market and Cooperation Department of the UEMOA Commission, noted that intra-union trade among the eight member states averaged only 13.1% of total merchandise trade between 2022 and 2024. The initiative seeks to strengthen local value chains and increase the processing of raw materials within the region to reduce dependence on external markets.

Sawadogo emphasized that economic sovereignty does not imply isolationism but rather the ability to maintain decision-making margins and absorb external shocks, such as rising input costs caused by global conflicts. The strategy is also intended to prepare local businesses for increased competition within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which offers access to a market of over 1.3 billion people.