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West African Monetary and Economic Union

Union économique et monétaire Ouest africaine

The "Union économique et monétaire Ouest africaine" (West African Monetary and Economic Union) was founded on 10 January 1994 in Dakar (Senegal) by the Heads of States and Governments of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. Guinea Bissau joined the UEMOA on 2 May 1997. The organization has its seat at Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. The UEMOA has been often criticized as an organization powered by France to defend its post- colonial interests in Africa and to challenge the leadership exerted by Nigeria on the bigger CEDEAO ("Communauté économique des états de l'Afrique de l'Ouest").

According to the "Ouestaf News" agency, 20 March 2009, the Heads of States of the members of UEMOA, holding a summit at Ouagadougou on 17 March 2009, have decided that the UEMOA should have its own flag, "to be displayed in each of the member states, beside the national flag", and its own anthem. No deadline has been given for the adoption of the symbols.
http://www.ouestaf.info/L-UEMOA-veut-se-doter-d-un-drapeau-et-d-un-hymne_a2356.html

The UEMOA already has a logo, presented as follows on the organization website:
"The logo uses two dynamic, elliptic elements, which, in spite of their specificity, are interlaced to express two strong concepts, solidarity and complementarity among the Union's states and peoples. This solidarity and this complementarity are prepared to be released in a continuous ascensional movement that should lead to the economical, social and cultural blossoming of our respective peoples. Here the energy of the forest creepers is in harmony with the warm and vivid Sahelian vibrations to produce the sphere of happiness highlighting the UEMOA's characteristics and objectives. The natural resources and the material equipments are represented by the lower, blue half-sphere, while the intellectual, if not spiritual, resources are represented by the upper, golden half-sphere. The white circle expresses peace, serenity and stability, which should be the cornerstones of the integration process of UEMOA."
http://www.uemoa.int/uemoa/historique.htm
Ivan Sache, 22 March 2009