Representatives of the West African Economic and Monetary Union gathered in Bamako on Monday, September 7, for the 40th extraordinary session of the union’s Inter-Parliamentary Committee to address critical challenges surrounding agricultural inputs and veterinary medicine regulations.
Chaired by acting president Fononna Cheick Ahmed Coulibaly, the five-day regional conference focuses on harmonizing national practices across all eight UEMOA member states regarding the approval, quality control, certification, and cross-border movement of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. Against a backdrop of global supply chain disruptions, rising costs, and climate pressures impacting regional farmers, community leaders emphasized that enforcing standardized agricultural frameworks is essential to securing food production and achieving regional food sovereignty.
Beyond crop production, parliamentary delegates are examining unified legislative standards for veterinary medicines to better manage animal health, secure rural livelihoods, and protect public health. The high-level gathering in the Malian capital also highlights the enduring institutional continuity of the economic bloc. Although Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS in early 2025 to establish the Alliance of Sahel States, all three nations maintain active, uninterrupted membership within UEMOA. The ongoing parliamentary sessions demonstrate that political integration under the Sahel alliance continues to coexist alongside shared monetary policies, economic surveillance, and sectoral cooperation across the wider West African monetary zone.
MD/te/lb/abj/APA