The Central Bank of West African States (French: Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, BCEAO) is a central bank serving the eight west African countries which share the common West African CFA franc currency and comprise the West African Economic and Monetary Union.Its predecessor, the Institut d’Emission de l’Afrique Occidentale Française et du Togo ("note-issuing institute of French West Africa and Togo"), was created in 1955 and became BCEAO in 1959.