Guinean Prime Minister La nsana Kouyate on Tuesday urged member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to consider the establishment of a sub-regional commodity and industrial sub-contracting exchange.
Kouyate, who was speaking in Conakry at the closing of a two-day sub-regional forum on mining industries in West Africa, also urged ECOWAS countries to examine their participation in parent companies’ capitals, setting up of vehicles and instruments complying with the financial market requirements, establishment of a natural resource study centre and implementation of mining corridors within the sub-region.
“Concerning the specific area of artisanal working, which provides incomes to a large majority of our people, we must improve and develop this activity in order to increase its impact on our nations’ incomes,” he said.
The development of mining resources in ECOWAS countries’ sustainable development, he added, must involve the states, social partners and political parties, among others.
The sub-regional forum was jointly organised by the World Bank and the African Development Bank in collaboration with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
