ECOWAS Commission has concluded “the inaugural meeting of the ECOWAS Air Transport Economic Oversight Committee (ECATEOC) with the adoption of a Regional Implementation Strategy and Action Plan, the Committee’s Rules of Procedure and a Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation Framework to operationalize Supplementary Act A/SA.2/12/24 on the Common Policy on Charges, Taxes and Fees in Civil Aviation.” The ECATEOC inaugural meeting was held from 2-3 July 2026 in Lomé, Togolese Republic.
The meeting was opened by H.E. Mrs. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, representing H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and Mr. Comla Kadjé, Minister of Transport, Opening Up and Rural Roads of the Togolese Republic.
According to ECOWAS, “the meeting formally operationalized the Community’s regional economic oversight mechanism, confirmed that Member States have initiated national implementation processes and commended Côte d’Ivoire as the first Member State to fully implement the Community Decision through the adoption of the required national legal instrument.”
ECOWAS further added that “the meeting was attended by Members of the Regional Oversight Committee, including Mr. Chris Appiah, Director of Transport of the ECOWAS Commission; Directors-General of Civil Aviation Authorities and Directors of Air Transport from the Aviation Ministries of ECOWAS Member States; and representatives of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO) and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).”
ECOWAS noted that the ECOWAS Air Transport Economic Oversight Committee (ECATEOC) “elected Côte d’Ivoire as the inaugural Chair of ECATEOC, considering the progress in implementing the regional decision by removing taxes on air transport, and reaffirmed its commitment to the coordinated implementation of the regional aviation reform agenda in support of ECOWAS Vision 2050.”
