ITC and WACTAF Partner to Boost Cross-Border Trade for West African Informal Traders

Building on previous efforts in trade and logistics, the ITC and WACTAF will focus on advisory services, data utilization, and support for informal traders.

Informal traders play a crucial role in West African commerce, and a new collaboration between the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the West African Association for Cross-Border Trade (WACTAF) aims to support their growth. This partnership, formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed on 8 August 2024, is set to enhance cross-border trade in food products across the region.

Building on previous efforts in trade and logistics, the ITC and WACTAF will focus on advisory services, data utilization, and support for informal traders. The collaboration also seeks to improve trade obstacle reporting systems, which are essential for streamlining border processes and reducing risks, especially for small traders whose goods are vulnerable to spoilage during delays.

The partnership is expected to have a lasting impact on West Africa's economic integration by ensuring that even the most vulnerable traders have access to the necessary tools and information. Trade information and border assistance desks, already established across the region by the two organizations, will continue to provide traders with critical support for navigating border formalities.

In addition, ITC and WACTAF are working to make informal trade data more accessible through WACTAF’s database and online application, benefiting both business and policy decisions across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The collaboration will also address obstacles at border crossings, with a focus on challenges faced by women traders.

By leveraging existing initiatives like WACTAF’s ‘Operation Fluidité Routière’ and ITC’s Trade Obstacles Alert Mechanism (TOAM), the partnership aims to facilitate more efficient and less burdensome cross-border trade. This work is conducted alongside partners from GIZ, the German development agency, and the ECOWAS Commission under the GIZ ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) Programme.