{"id":119925,"date":"2025-06-21T21:00:59","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T20:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=119925"},"modified":"2025-06-21T21:00:59","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T20:00:59","slug":"waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/","title":{"rendered":"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
By Tracy Moses<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n
The West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) officially commenced on Friday in Abuja, with the Federal Government expressing its strong commitment to fostering inclusive and region-wide collaboration. The summit, according to officials, represents more than just another gathering, it marks a pivotal step toward turning the region\u2019s potential into tangible prosperity.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, welcomed delegates to the inaugural edition of the WAES, underscoring Nigeria\u2019s enduring dedication to a unified West African effort.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cThis summit is not just a formality, it is a critical opportunity for us to convert shared aspirations into action,\u201d said Ambassador Bianca. \u201cNigeria remains fully committed to fostering cooperation across all West African nations, regardless of political or institutional differences, to address mutual challenges and harness emerging opportunities.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
She described WAES as a purposeful forum that merges policy with enterprise, leadership with innovation, and gives West Africa a unified platform to advocate for deeper regional integration.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cWAES stands as a purposeful arena, where decisions meet innovation, where leadership connects with enterprise, and where West Africa speaks in one voice about the promise of regional integration,\u201d she noted.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cOur countries have interacted not just as neighbors, but as family. We share a rich bond that spans across our diaspora, uniquely positioning us to take leadership on the global stage,\u201d she added.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Amb. Bianca further emphasized that the region\u2019s industries have already demonstrated their capability, citing notable progress in areas like banking, digital innovation, agriculture, and natural resources.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cWe are not here to discuss whether we can build industries, we have already shown that we can. Our current mission is to protect our regional unity and grow these industries through visionary policies that reinforce our economic independence,\u201d she said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
She concluded by urging participants to fully engage in the summit. \u201cOn behalf of the Nigerian government and people, I welcome you all to Abuja. Let us think big, collaborate deeply, and leave this summit with real strategies that boost trade and investment throughout West Africa.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
In her own remarks, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, made a strong case for the creation of an integrated West African market.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
She stressed that achieving a unified regional market is not just aspirational but essential, arguing that breaking down trade barriers is vital for regional economic growth.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cThe time for a fully integrated West African market is now,\u201d she declared. \u201cA single market is not just a lofty idea, it\u2019s an urgent need. We must dismantle the trade and policy obstacles that continue to hinder the free movement of goods, services, and people.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Minister Oduwole emphasized that the WAES signifies a turning point in the region\u2019s journey toward economic unity.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cThis summit reflects our collective resolve to take ownership of our narrative, invest in our progress, and jointly shape our future,\u201d she said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
She also pointed out the paradox that while Africa is the world\u2019s most resource-rich continent, it still lacks the infrastructure and industrial systems necessary to unlock that wealth.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cWith over 400 million people and a deep-rooted history of resilience and entrepreneurship, West Africa holds vast, yet untapped promise. But we must accept that our businesses won\u2019t grow if our markets remain disjointed,\u201d she stated.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
While acknowledging the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme as a positive step, the Minister concluded that more needs to be done to truly enhance intra-regional trade<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Tracy Moses The West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) officially commenced on Friday in Abuja, with the Federal Government expressing its strong commitment to fostering inclusive and region-wide collaboration. The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":119926,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-119925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nWAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation - Pointblank News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation - Pointblank News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Tracy Moses The West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) officially commenced on Friday in Abuja, with the Federal Government expressing its strong commitment to fostering inclusive and region-wide collaboration. The…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pointblank News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-21T20:00:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"860\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Our Reporter\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Our Reporter\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Our Reporter\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#\/schema\/person\/ba61acbe7e8967bcf3f3ba603d9db23c\"},\"headline\":\"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-21T20:00:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/\"},\"wordCount\":587,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/\",\"name\":\"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation - Pointblank News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-21T20:00:59+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#\/schema\/person\/ba61acbe7e8967bcf3f3ba603d9db23c\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg\",\"width\":860,\"height\":512},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/\",\"name\":\"Pointblank News\",\"description\":\"Just the news\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#\/schema\/person\/ba61acbe7e8967bcf3f3ba603d9db23c\",\"name\":\"Our Reporter\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/83b3820ef93d502ae3a617b2c881ca42?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/83b3820ef93d502ae3a617b2c881ca42?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Our Reporter\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/author\/admin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation - Pointblank News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation - Pointblank News","og_description":"By Tracy Moses The West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) officially commenced on Friday in Abuja, with the Federal Government expressing its strong commitment to fostering inclusive and region-wide collaboration. The…","og_url":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/","og_site_name":"Pointblank News","article_published_time":"2025-06-21T20:00:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":860,"height":512,"url":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Our Reporter","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Our Reporter","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/"},"author":{"name":"Our Reporter","@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#\/schema\/person\/ba61acbe7e8967bcf3f3ba603d9db23c"},"headline":"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation","datePublished":"2025-06-21T20:00:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/"},"wordCount":587,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/","url":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/","name":"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation - Pointblank News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg","datePublished":"2025-06-21T20:00:59+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#\/schema\/person\/ba61acbe7e8967bcf3f3ba603d9db23c"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG-20250621-WA0019.jpg","width":860,"height":512},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/waes-fg-reaffirms-commitment-to-inclusive-regional-cooperation\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"WAES: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Regional Cooperation"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#website","url":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/","name":"Pointblank News","description":"Just the news","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#\/schema\/person\/ba61acbe7e8967bcf3f3ba603d9db23c","name":"Our Reporter","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/83b3820ef93d502ae3a617b2c881ca42?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/83b3820ef93d502ae3a617b2c881ca42?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Our Reporter"},"url":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119925"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119925\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119927,"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119925\/revisions\/119927"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}