ECOWAS State officials and member States unanimously admit that private sector is the real driving force behind growth, and hence, development. Thus, since the early 90s,they adopted policies geared towards the promotion of the private and have endeavoured to develop an enabling environment for business.

Unfortunately, the States are still faced to many challenge, and one of them is the problem of private investment financing. Since the the death of national development banks and specialised institutions, the role of private investment financing has fallen to international financial institutions and commercial banks.

The GARI Fund intends to act as a catalyst in the assistance provided by these institutions to private initiative in ensuring minimum safety to their financing operations. Hence the GARI Fund continuosly seeks to be the leading support instrument to the private sector, an instrument sufficiently flexible , quick and up-to-date, fully integrated in the financing strategy of credit institutions.

The Finanncial institution-GARI partnership must help improve the selection, assessment and supervision practices of investments funded, in order to enable the private sector, through the growth of the ECOWAS member States.