By VOS Writer
The President of SierraLeone, His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, who also served as ECOWAS Chairman, has reaffirmed commitment to the ECOWAS single currency by promoting deeper economic ties and institutional integration within the bloc.
He did not provide fresh dates or policy mechanics, but under his leadership, the ECO remains a top economic priority.
He also stated that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and regional integration must transform into engines of job creation and resilience, especially for women and youth—a clear nod toward the broader economic unity facilitated by the proposed ECO currency.
Although there were no direct technical declarations on timelines or convergence specifics, President Bio strongly emphasized that economic integration—a step tied to single currency ambitions—was now a defined ECOWAS priority.
The ECO currency, initially aimed for launch around 2020, now targets July 2027 for rollout, pending compliance with a set of 10 macroeconomic convergence criteria.
These benchmarks include fiscal deficits, monetary policy alignment, debt-to-GDP ratios, exchange-rate stability, and inflation control.
