The UEMOA Commission has initiated the 7th edition of "October, Month of Consuming Locally," a conference aimed at transforming the regional market into a lever for economic sovereignty. The event, themed "Consuming Locally, a Factor of Regional Integration and Economic Sovereignty of UEMOA," seeks to make the community market a hub for production, transformation, and exchange. This year's focus is on promoting local products from all eight member states.
According to Pr Filiga Michel Sawadogo, Commissioner for the Regional Market and Cooperation Department, consuming locally does not mean autarky but rather strengthening UEMOA's productive capacities, valorizing its resources, and reducing dependencies that could undermine the satisfaction of its essential needs. The current global situation, with disruptions in supply chains, highlights the importance of regional integration. For instance, the conflict in the Middle East may increase the cost of agricultural inputs for UEMOA producers.
The UEMOA has identified priority sectors, including phosphate fertilizers, cotton-textiles, and rice, under its Impact 2030 Strategic Plan. The phosphate fertilizer sector, in particular, is crucial, given the region's phosphate resources in Togo and Senegal. However, the challenge lies not in the existence of resources but in the ability to transform and distribute them regionally. The goal is to create a market of 152 million consumers and increase intra-community trade.
Despite the potential, trade between UEMOA member states averaged only 13.1% of total merchandise trade from 2022 to 2024 and 12.6% in 2024. The UEMOA aims to improve the circulation of locally produced goods and develop value chains that connect national economies. For example, cotton produced in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mali can supply a regional textile industry.
Dr Boukary Sawadogo, an economist and expert in business climate, presented a communication on the theme, highlighting the importance of local consumption in the community. Other experts, including Khady Evelyne Denise N'Diaye, Director of the Private Sector, discussed the levers of regional industrialization and the development of competitive value chains.
The conference aims to explore ways to strengthen production, transformation, and consumption of locally produced goods and services. The "Consume Locally" initiative has become an economic lever, stimulating production, encouraging investment, and providing businesses with visibility to increase their transformation capacities. Quality, accessibility, and competitiveness are essential factors in sustaining consumer loyalty.
The 7th edition of "October, Month of Consuming Locally" seeks to go beyond awareness-raising and provide recommendations to inform the evaluation of the initiative and guide public decisions. The goal is to make consumers actors in regional integration and the community market a space where UEMOA businesses can produce, transform, sell, and develop.
Key points
- UEMOA aims to increase intra-community trade and strengthen regional integration through local consumption.
- The region has identified priority sectors, including phosphate fertilizers, cotton-textiles, and rice, under its Impact 2030 Strategic Plan.
- The "Consume Locally" initiative seeks to stimulate production, encourage investment, and provide businesses with visibility to increase their transformation capacities.
