ECOWAS to reopen land borders January 1, 2022

ECOWAS Member States have proposed January 1, 2022, for the reopening of all land borders.

ECOWAS Sectoral Ministers, in collaboration with the West African Health Organization (WAHO), took the decision at a virtual meeting coordinated from Abuja, Nigeria, on December 7, 2021.

Among the factors informing the decision, the Ministries took into consideration the fact that their economies lost $50 billion in value or 6.7% of their cumulative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2020 and 2021.

The report and recommendations of the meeting will be presented to the two day ECOWAS Council of Ministers meeting, scheduled for Abuja, Nigeria, December 9 to 10th, 2021, and subsequently submitted to the Heads of State and Government, the highest decision-making body on December 7, 2021, for adoption.

A communiqué issued by ECOWAS after the meeting said more than 50 people took part in the meeting, including ECOWAS Sectoral Ministers in charge of the Interior, Health, Finance, Trade and Transport, alongside their experts.