West Africa Boosts Formulated Complementary Foods and Pharmaceuticals Through the ATCMA ECOWAS Programme
24 June 2026 -Under the EUR 50 million EU-funded Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) ECOWAS Programme - the largest regional UNIDO programme ever implemented in West Africa - partners are now channeling investments into two high-impact sectors: formulated complementary foods (FCF) and pharmaceuticals.
To unlock trade and investment, UNIDO will support harmonisation of standards, upgrading of quality infrastructure, and alignment of regulations across ECOWAS countries, reducing barriers to trade and enabling businesses to access larger regional and international markets. At the same time, enterprises will be supported to upgrade production, develop skills and attract investment - driving job creation and higher value-added production. By strengthening FCF and pharmaceutical value chains, the programme is expected to deliver better nutrition, improved access to medicines, stronger businesses and more jobs, contributing to a more resilient and prosperous West African economy.
As part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, the programme goes beyond traditional technical assistance by systematically linking European private sector actors and Team Europe partners with African businesses and institutions in ECOWAS. Implemented under the Team Europe Initiative and aligned with ECOWAS Vision 2050, it will help mobilise investment, strengthen industrial partnerships and integrate West African value chains into European and global markets.
This marks a new, more integrated and scaled-up approach for UNIDO, combining industrial development, trade facilitation and investment mobilisation at scale. By linking regional value chain development with global investment flows, the programme sets a pathway for future UNIDO engagement under Global Gateway and Team Europe approaches.
These priorities were endorsed during a series of regional consultations, culminating in the first ATCMA-ECOWAS Strategic Steering Committee (SSC) Meeting held in Banjul, The Gambia (18–19 June 2026), where stakeholders agreed on a clear implementation direction and selected the two value chains for accelerated development.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr. Kalilou Sylla, emphasised the transformative potential: “I firmly believe that the economic face of West Africa will be fundamentally transformed if we succeed here, because this project directly tackles the pillars of industrialisation, market access, the dismantling of non-tariff barriers and regional integration.”
EU Head Of Cooperation in The Gambia and acting as EU Representative for these meetings Ms. Enrica Pellacani, highlighted the tangible benefits for people: “Trade is not an abstract concept. It is a driver of jobs, resilience, and stability. When it works, it creates opportunities, strengthens value chains, and improves livelihoods.”
The ATCMA ECOWAS Programme is part of the overall ATCMA umbrella framework, funded by the EU in the amount of 200 mio. € and implemented jointly by UNIDO and the International Trade Center (ITC).
For more information
Contact: Bernard Bau and Christian Lasser
Email address: B.BAU [at] unido.org and C.LASSER [at] unido.org
