Two high-level meetings confirm that regional organisations are eager to join local actors, some NGOs as well as IOs in support of cross-border cooperation fostering economic development, mobility, greater security and stronger links among populations. Soon cross-border cooperation will be incorporated into European development funds. The Economic Community of West African States places emphasis on borders and mobility. The African Union finds inspiration in the West African cross-border cooperation experiences and promotes these experiences as an instrument to prevent conflict.

Femmes réfugiées

The Community of West African States is emphasising borders and mobility:

ECOWAS Heads of State on Friday, 15th June 2007 adopted the ECOWAS Strategic Vision, which seeks to convert West Africa into a borderless region where citizens can create and avail themselves of opportunities for sustainable production by harnessing West Africa’s enormous resources. Read the press release.
ECOWAS Foreign Affairs Ministers met on 14 June 2007 in Abuja and agreed on a regional approach to the management of migration, particularly within the region and to Europe. This approach highlights the importance of facilitating movement at intra-regional borders, depicting mobility as a development actor. Read the press release.

The experts’ meeting on border issues organised by the AU on 4 and 5 June 2007 demonstrated the Union’s interest in border dynamics fostering integration. The group of experts consisting of representatives of AU member States, regional economic communities as well as intergovernmental organisations discussed and amended the AU Borders Programme’s report and draft declaration before its submission to Ministers (Conference of African Ministers responsible for border issues on the topic, “Preventing conflict, promoting integration”, held 7 June 2007 in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia).