The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development EBID hosted Her Excellency Francia Elena Mrquez Mina, Vice President of the Republic of Colombia, at its headquarters on 9 December 2025, in a historic gesture that signals a new era of South-South cooperation. Vice President Mrquez, the first Afro-Colombian to hold the office, was welcomed amid high-level discussions that underscored the growing importance of collaboration between Latin America and West Africa.
During the visit, the two parties agreed to develop an Operational Cooperation Framework designed to guide strategic engagement across multiple sectors. The framework will serve as a blueprint for the development of projects, knowledge exchange, and the mobilisation of financial and technical resources. Among the priority sectors identified were climate-resilient, value-added agribusiness and Information and Communication Technology ICT, both seen as vital catalysts for inclusive and sustainable growth across the ECOWAS region.
Vice President Mrquez extended a formal invitation to Dr George Agyekum Donkor, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of EBID, for an official visit to Colombia in March 2026. This forthcoming visit is expected to serve as a defining milestone in the partnership, further promoting collaboration between Development Finance Institutions in Latin America and their West African counterparts. Speaking on the occasion, she reaffirmed Colombia's commitment to establishing a partnership that delivers tangible results for the people of West Africa, with a focus on shared prosperity and sustainable development.
