BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT: A sub-regional workshop on structuring Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) within WAEMU

Under the auspices of the WAEMU Commission and in partnership with the IYBA-SEED programme, a sub-regional workshop on capacity building and validation of proposals for structuring Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) was held on 9 and 10 February 2026 in Cotonou. 

This event brought together key players from the public and private sectors, employers' organisations, national chambers of commerce, as well as technical and financial partners, around a common goal: to harmonise and strengthen the PPD in order to stimulate economic growth and entrepreneurship in the WAEMU area.

Workshop objectives: Towards a more effective and inclusive public-private dialogue

The workshop aimed to:
1.    Validate the PPD structuring documents: Harmonise existing national frameworks and identify sub-regional best practices for a more coherent and effective dialogue.
2.    Strengthen stakeholder capacities: Through experience sharing and training, in order to improve the participation and representativeness of stakeholders, particularly young people and women entrepreneurs.
3.    Define a clear institutional architecture: For an operational and sustainable PPD, capable of responding to current economic and security challenges, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Highlights of the workshop

Opening ceremony: The strategic importance of the PPD

The opening speeches emphasised the major challenge of the PPD as a lever for economic governance and trust between the public and private sectors.

Speakers, including Mr Stéphane TUINA (SNV Country Director in Benin), Mr Juan Luis BARBOLLA CASAS (EU Delegation to Benin) and Mr Yawovi BATCHASSI (Resident Representative of the WAEMU Commission), emphasised:

• The involvement of young people and women entrepreneurs.
• The sustainability of dialogue frameworks.
• The harmonisation of public policies and private initiatives for shared growth.

Participants also presented innovative aspects of national efforts to improve the PPD in their respective countries and strengthened their mutual capacities through peer-to-peer exchanges and knowledge sharing.

Presentation and validation of structuring tools

Participants reviewed and amended several key documents:

• The draft Directive: A harmonised framework for PPDs in WAEMU Member States, aimed at clarifying the roles of stakeholders and strengthening governnance.
• The RPPDFo (Regional PPD Forum) operational manual: A tool to remove obstacles to private sector development, with monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
• The PPD digital platform: A platform designed to improve the visibility of the private sector, facilitate exchanges and accelerate decision-making.
• The communication strategy: To raise awareness among stakeholders and enhance transparency around the PPD.

Recommendations for effective implementation

Participants made concrete recommendations:

• For Member States: Support the private sector in its organisation and guarantee human, material and financial resources for national PPD frameworks.
• For the WAEMU Commission: Accelerate the adoption of the harmonised Directive.
• For the CCR-WAEMU: Advocate for better representation of the private sector.

‘This workshop marks a decisive step towards harmonising public-private dialogue in the WAEMU. The tools validated today will help to strengthen trust and cooperation between all stakeholders, which is essential for the development of our region.’
Mr Inoussa SAWADOGO, Chair of the meeting

Results and outlook

The workshop made it possible to: 

• Validate the PPD structuring documents, which will serve as a reference for Member States.
• Strengthen collaboration between public and private actors, with a particular focus on young people and women entrepreneurs.
• Launch innovative tools, such as the digital platform, to modernise dialogue and make it more effective.

Next steps?

• Finalisation and official adoption of the Directive by Member States.
• Implementation of operational manuals and communication strategies.
• Deployment of the digital platform for real-time monitoring of PPD initiatives.
   

‘The PPD is not just a formal framework, but a living mechanism that must respond to the concrete needs of entrepreneurs, especially young people and women.’
A participant, representative of an employers' organisation