COPITOUR: Racine Sy argues for West African tourism to be more integrated into the heart of ECOWAS policies

Tourism could play a more significant role in the economic integration of West Africa. This was the message delivered by Racine Sy, President of the Confederation of Employers' Organizations in the Tourism Industry of West Africa (COPITOUR), at the consultative meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) dedicated to the framework for the recognition and accreditation of regional business associations.

Meeting in Abuja, participants discussed mechanisms to enable regional private sector organizations to better participate in the development and implementation of community policies. In his remarks, Racine Sy stated that this meeting marks an important step in recognizing the role of private tourism stakeholders within the community.

According to him, tourism development cannot be separated from regional integration policies. He therefore called for strengthened cooperation between ECOWAS institutions and professionals in the sector in order to better leverage West Africa's tourism potential, while promoting investment and job creation.

The president of COPITOUR also emphasized the need to strengthen the representation of professional tourism organizations within regional bodies. In his view, greater involvement from the private sector will allow for a more effective contribution to the development of public policies tailored to local realities.

The meeting was also an opportunity to acknowledge the support of several partners who accompanied its organization, notably the German Cooperation (GIZ), as well as the welcome extended to the delegations by the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN).

At the end of his presentation, Racine Sy expressed his hope that the discussions would lead to concrete recommendations for a strengthened framework for collaboration between ECOWAS and regional business organizations. His objective, he explained, is to make tourism a sector more integrated into economic development and integration strategies in West Africa.

This consultative meeting is part of the process undertaken by ECOWAS to establish a harmonized framework for the recognition and accreditation of regional business associations, in order to consolidate dialogue with the private sector and increase its participation in community policies.