Deputy Minister of Finance Isata Marah Joins ECOWAS Competition Talks in Banjul
Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Finance II, Isata Marah, took part in a three-day ECOWAS regional conference in The Gambia aimed at strengthening competition policy and advancing West African market integration.
Marah attended the inaugural Annual Conference on Competition Policy and Market Integration, held Sept. 15–17 in Banjul and organised by the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA), according to official conference records.
The event brought together policymakers, regulators, private-sector representatives, academics, and development partners from across West Africa to discuss enforcement cooperation, market regulation, and strategies to reduce barriers to regional trade within the ECOWAS Common Market.
The conference focused on harmonising competition rules, improving enforcement coordination among member states, and addressing cross-border anti-competitive practices. Organisers said the discussions were intended to strengthen regional economic integration and promote fairer and more efficient markets.
Marah’s participation followed an invitation from Dr Simeon Konan Koffi, Executive Director of ERCA, who led the regional initiative to convene member states and stakeholders for the first edition of the annual forum.
On the sidelines of the conference, Marah exchanged brief remarks with newly appointed ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dehpue Yenpea Zuo. Zuo previously served in Liberia’s economic management sector and noted Liberia’s recent domestic revenue performance, which he said had exceeded US$1 billion for the first time.
Other participants included Alhaji Abu Komeh, Acting Director of the Research and Delivery Division, who joined technical sessions on regional policy coordination.
The conference concluded on Sept. 17 with calls for sustained cooperation among ECOWAS member states to strengthen competition enforcement as a key tool for regional integration and economic development.