In its strive to transform West Africa into a borderless region, bringing citizens closer together and promote regional integration, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in collaboration with the government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Local Government and Lands yesterday began a two-day cross-border cooperation workshop at the Baobab Holiday Resort in Bijilo.

This is the first national meeting on cross-border cooperation to be held in The Gambia. The conclave which is centered on the theme ‘paving the way for the institutionalisation of cross-border cooperation at national level in the sub-region’, takes place at a key moment when sub-regional integration preoccupies the national agendas of the respective member states of the sub-regional body.

The concept of cross-border cooperation or local integration was introduced and officially adapted onto the integration agenda of Ecowas following a decision by the Authority of Heads of States and Governments of Ecowas in Niamey, Niger in January 2006. In 2007, Ecowas Heads of States and Governments also adapted a strategic vision to transform West Africa into a borderless region which focuses on bringing citizens of West Africa and the regional institution closer together, a step meant to move from an Ecowas of states to an Ecowas of peoples thereby ensuring a people-centered Ecowas by the year 2020.

The workshop among other things aimed at sensitising stakeholders on the operational modalities and implementation strategies of the programme as well as inform them of the various cross-border cooperation initiatives undertaken in the pilot operation zone- Southern Senegambia; solicit political support and leadership in the implementation process and identify concrete steps to sustain strategic partnership; establish necessary coordinating and management structures at local and national levels, develop national action plans in furtherance of the regional cross-border cooperation strategy and to identify areas for cooperation and feasible cross-border development projects.

Declaring the confab open, Pierre Tamba, the minister of Local Government and Lands assured that his ministry will always partner and work tirelessly with line ministries and other stakeholders towards the realisation of the objectives of the CBC programmes and initiatives. According to him, though cooperation programmes should be tailored according to particular situation faced by each border region, it is important that more effort is made to concentrate support on key priorities in order to ensure economic growth and job creation. “In view of the obstacles created by borders, a useful starting point is the improvement of the existing transport and communication infrastructure and the development, where necessary of new links. These are indeed preconditions of establishing and developing cross-border contacts,” he said.

He added that where the basic conditions for cross-border cooperation already exist, programmes should focus assistance on actions that bring added value to cross-border activities. He then assured that his ministry in fulfilment of its coordinating role on cross-border issues, will do its utmost to enhance the capacities of municipalities, local councils and regional governor’s offices to enable them participate meaningfully in ongoing and future CBC initiatives.

For his part, Baboucarr Jallow, the minister of Trade and Employment commended Ecowas for pursuing sub-regional integration with vigour and enthusiasm for the past several years. According to him, in recent years, cross-border issues have preoccupied the development agenda of the region in pursuit of ensuring free movement of peoples good and services. He noted that the protocol on free movement of people and goods is one of the most critical instruments of sub-regional integration and called on all member states to do their utmost for its implementation. He then assured of the continued support of the government of The Gambia towards the realisation of the desired goals of the programmes and initiatives.

Kinza Jawara-Njai from the Department of Free Movement at the Ecowas Commission explained that the Ecowas cross-border cooperation programme was developed with the aim of bringing the regional integration process and local population closer together mainly to de-marginalise border areas, reduce poverty and achieve rapid socio-economic development and integration in the sub-region through the creation of concrete and feasible joint development projects in all sectors that are achievable within a short time limit in order to promote and consolidate peace, security, stability and development in border zones in particular and the entire region in general.

According to her, cross-border initiatives programme serve as an important tool to achieve the new vision of Ecowas, thus making it a major component of the development agenda of the sub-regional body. She added that the concept which focuses on the benefits of cross-border area dynamics has since been developed and has been transformed into a concrete programme which serves as a tool to promote regional integration as well as contribute to efforts at accelerating the integration process in West Africa.

She on behalf of the president of the Ecowas Commission, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, recognised the efforts of all partners who have contributed to the operationalisation of the programme in West Africa and express hope that concrete recommendation will be drawn out of the two-day confab.

Mohamadou Abdoul, coordinator of the Unit InterAfriques Enda Prospectives Dialogue Politicques (EndaDiapol) an NGO based in Senegal assured that his organisation will continue to give support and to ensure that the civil society gets more involved in the programmes. Saikou Sanyang, permanent secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Lands chaired the ceremony.