The Countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (more commonly known as the UEMOA) have secured investment commitments worth $19 billion from Gulf states.

The agreements to invest in projects throughout the eight-nation bloc were made at a UEMOA forum in Dubai and came mostly from firms in the UAE. UEMOA comprises Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.

Investments will be made in projects in a range of sectors, including roads, railways, airports, energy and water, according to a statement released at the forum.

The largest commitment — $16 billion — was made by UAE-based Trojan General Contracting; it covers road and rail construction in all eight bloc nations.

The UAE subsidiary of Indian industrial group Essar is to invest $1.98 billion in road, bridge, airport and thermal power-plant projects in Benin, Guinea Bissau and Niger, while Oman’s Hasan Juma Backer Trading & Contracting will spend $700 million on a dry-dock development project in Ivory Coast.