# BADEA development partnerships in Africa

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/badea-development-partnerships-in-africa
> Updated: 2026-10-17T06:25:55.000Z. Sources: 37. Developments: 2.

The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) has entered into several strategic agreements to support development across the continent.

In the CEMAC region, BADEA and the Development Bank of Central African States (BDEAC) signed a 30 million euro loan agreement to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad. This funding aims to bolster investment, employment, and regional trade during a period where the average debit rate for SME loans in the region rose to 11% in early 2026.

Additionally, BADEA signed its first official partnership with the African Union (AU) through a Memorandum of Understanding. This collaboration seeks to leverage the expertise of both organizations to improve resource mobilization and coordination, aligning with the objectives of the AU’s Agenda 2063 to promote sustainable economic and social development.

## Claims

- The AES and ECOWAS held their first formal ministerial meeting in Dakar on October 17, 2026. (corroborated by 24 sources)
- Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré co-chaired the meeting representing the AES. (corroborated by 16 sources)
- Cheikh Niang co-chaired the meeting representing ECOWAS. (corroborated by 15 sources)
- The two organizations decided to establish joint thematic working groups. (corroborated by 12 sources)
- Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger officially withdrew from ECOWAS on January 29, 2025. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- The discussions aim to produce a draft General Framework Agreement. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The negotiations cover areas including free movement of people and goods, trade, and security. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The AES aims to formalize new relations rather than rejoin ECOWAS. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- An ECOWAS summit is scheduled for December 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-17: ECOWAS and AES begin formal cooperation negotiations in Dakar

ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) have begun formal negotiations in Dakar to establish a cooperation framework covering trade, security, and the free movement of people following the Sahel states' 2

36 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/african-union-and-badea-sign-first-development-partnership

### 2026-10-15: BADEA and BDEAC sign 30 million euro loan for CEMAC SMEs

BADEA and BDEAC signed a 30 million euro loan agreement to support SMEs across the six CEMAC member states, aiming to boost regional investment and employment.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/badea-and-bdeac-sign-30-million-euro-loan-for-cemac-smes

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Cite as: BADEA development partnerships in Africa. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/badea-development-partnerships-in-africa