ECA, through its Sub-Regional Office for West Africa (SRO-WA) will hold the Eighteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) for West Africa from 18 to 19 March 2015 in Dakar, Republic of Senegal.

The ICE is the statutory organ of the ECA for West Africa.  It brings together representatives from the fifteen West African member States as well as Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) of the sub-region, development partners, academia, research centres and other stakeholders. 

The ICE takes place annually to follow up on the implementation of the work programme of the ECA Office in West Africa and to discuss key issues and challenges pertaining to the economic and social development of the sub-region with the view to advise and propose appropriate recommendations to address them. 

The 18th ICE will put emphasis on the urgent need for the sub-region, to promote the development of infrastructures in the key sectors of transportation, energy, new information and communication technologies (NICT) and the development of banking in order to accelerate regional integration, strengthen economic growth, improve its impacts on social development and effectively reduce poverty in accordance with the ECOWAS 2020 Vision.  The session also aims at preparing the sub-region to consolidate its competiveness in the framework of the future continental African Free-Trade Zone (AFTZ) scheduled for 2017.