Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, David Moinia Sengeh, delivered a compelling call to action at the inaugural ECOWAS Investment Forum 2024 in Lome, Togo, hosted by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development.

Sengeh urged leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to recognize and promote the region’s immense beauty and natural resources to attract robust investment for sustainable development and growth.

In his address, Sengeh outlined five key areas to showcase ECOWAS as a global center for investment, trade, human capital development, multilateralism, and social inclusion.

Firstly, Sengeh emphasized West Africa’s strategic location as a hub for logistics, with direct flights connecting the region to various parts of the world within 6-10 hours. He highlighted the potential for West African countries to play a vital role in ports and shipping logistics, stressing the need for investment to fully realize this opportunity.

Secondly, Sengeh highlighted West Africa’s abundance of critical minerals, including gold, oil, iron ore, and rutile, essential for infrastructural development. He emphasized the importance of building centers of excellence for mining, engineering, and value addition to shift from raw material exporters to innovators in industrial development.

Thirdly, Sengeh underscored the region’s agricultural potential, with West Africa already producing cocoa, cassava, rice, and other staple foods. He emphasized the opportunity for West Africa not only to achieve food security but also to become a major player in global food production with the right investment and vision.

Fourthly, Sengeh highlighted West Africa’s rich cultural diversity and history of regional integration and leadership. He emphasized the region’s potential for fostering inclusion and multilateralism, with diverse populations living together peacefully and major ECOWAS institutions promoting regional cooperation.

Lastly, Sengeh celebrated West Africa’s cultural influence on the global stage, citing the impact of afrobeats, music, fashion, sports, and film. He emphasized the need to invest in human capital and youth development to harness this creative energy effectively.

In conclusion, Sengeh expressed his conviction that West Africa can leverage its geographic and genetic advantages to become a global center for economic growth and innovation. His impassioned plea for investment underscores the region’s immense potential and the need for collective action to realize it.