Editorial

A two-day confab on cross-border cooperation jointly organised by The Gambia government and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ended yesterday in Banjul. We submit that the conference, which was geared towards promoting a borderless region, has come at a much better time, a time that member states are preoccupied with the need for regional integration. We therefore wish to commend Ecowas and The Gambia government in particular for staging such an important meeting on the future of the region.

Regional integration in its broad sense refers to the merger of the means of production, distribution and exchange of individual nations into a single community. The process entails connection of transportation, communication, infrastructure and all other tools that accompany the integration process. The ultimate of integration for the region and Africa at large is to make the phenomena of underdevelopment and poverty that has characterised the continent for centuries a thing of the past. Such meetings are therefore important stepping stones for growth and progress of the African continent. This is sure because we remain optimistic that by virtue of our relative strengths, the African continent has the ability to lead the African people into the mainstream of global socio-economic development within the broad objectives of the African Renaissance.  

In spite of the extraordinary quantities of strategic mineral resources and abundant agricultural commodities that exist in the sub-region, most of the countries are geographically small and economically weak. The move to organise such a high-profile meeting in Banjul therefore symbolises that Ecowas, indeed, do recognise that the prospects of achieving individual country development are not promising for our microstates and economies. Sub-regional and regional cooperation is the pragmatic means to development because of the common historical and economic experiences shared by member states.

We know that  the broad consensus inside and outside of Africa for the promotion of regional cooperation and integration is remarkable. African leaders, indeed, have also taken their own initiatives in meeting this challenge. The range and the diversity of organisations and governments that are active proponents for regional integration and cooperation in Africa underline the urgency of the role that integration and cooperation is expected to fulfil in the development of the continent; this is precisely the reason why after decades of uneven performance, Africa's economic situation has improved during the past years, and the outlook of our integration into the world economy has sheltered most African economies from the most violent effects of the recent financial crises.

We are optimistic that delegates who attended the Ecowas confab will come out with tangible resolutions for the speeding up of the cross-border cooperation principles. What is needed to achieve these objectives is the political will to adhere to integration objectives, and to give them priority over domestic considerations. A resolute effort must be made to achieve greater institutional and policy convergence. This assumes that countries establish ambitious, but feasible timetables for instituting reforms and establishing institutions, while realistically evaluating the resources required; and also strong, efficient regional institutions that are needed.

In fact, such institutions should be authorised to develop appropriate policies independent of national interests without, however, losing sight of each member's particular situation. They should also have enough human and material resources to assist member countries in implementing these policies.