A consortium of knowledge institutes composed of the African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL), the Agro-Economic Research Institute of the Agricultural University of Wageningen (LEI, Wageningen UR) and the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) have recently started to conduct a scoping study on regional integration and trade in West Africa, titled ‘Improving the perspective for regional trade and investment in West Africa: the key to food security, economic development and stability in the region?’. The scoping study has been commissioned by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and funded by the Knowledge Management Facility of the Food & Business Knowledge Platform.

By invitation only

The overall objective of the scoping study is to provide a comprehensive picture of the Netherlands’ Government ongoing cooperation with West Africa and the perspective in terms of policy options for strengthening its effectiveness and coherence by giving more emphasis to the promotion of intraregional trade and investment in West Africa.

In order to identify knowledge gaps and needs, and to generate meaningful input in support of this scoping study, the ASCL, LEI and ECDPM organize a scoping conference, bringing together representatives from the consortium partners, the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Food & Business Knowledge Platform as well as a selected number of other experts from diverse backgrounds.

Information: Paul Lange: