50503 The Gambia
In its and strive to transform west African into a borderless region, bringing citizens closer together and promote region integration, the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) in collaboration with the government of the Gambia through the ministry of local Government and lands recently 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 help in the Gambia.
The conclave which is centered on the theme ‘paving the way for the institutionalization 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 Head of state and government of ECOWAS in Niamey, Niger in January 2006. In 2007, ECOWAS Heads of state and Governments also adapted a strategic vision to transform west African into a borderless region which focuses on bringing citizens of west African and the regional institution closer together, a step meant to move from an ECOWAS of people thereby ensuring a people-centered ECOWAS by the year 2020.
The workshop among other thing aimed at sensation stakeholder on the
operational modalities and implementation strategies of the various cross- border cooperation initiatives undertake in the pilot operation zone southern Senegambia; solicit political support and leadership in the implementation process and identify concrete step to sustain strategic partnership, establish necessary coordinating and management structures at local and national levels, develop national action plan in furtherance of the regional cross-border cooperation strategy and to identify area 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 stakeholder towards of the objective 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 precondition of establishing and developing cross-border contacts,’’ he said.
He added that where the basic condition for cross-border cooperation already exist, programmers should focus assistance on action that bring added value to cross-border activities. He then assured that this ministry in fulfillment of its cording 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 vigor and enthusiasm for the past several year According to him, in recent year, cross- border issue have preoccupied the development agenda of the region in pursuit of ensuring free movement of people and good 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 realization 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-marginalia border area. 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 time limit in order to promote and consolidate peace .security stability and development in border zone in particular and the entire region in general.
According to her, cross-border initiatives programmes 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 dynamic has since been developed and has been transformed into a concrete promgramme which serves as a tool to promote regional integration as well contribute to effort at accelerating the integration process in west African
She on behalf of the president of the ECOWAS commission. Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, recognized the efforts of all partners who have contributed to the operationalisation of the programmme in west African and express hope that concrete recommendation will be drawn out of the two-day confab.
In its and strive to transform west African into a borderless region, bringing citizens closer together and promote region integration, the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) in collaboration with the government of the Gambia through the ministry of local Government and lands recently 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 help in the Gambia.
The conclave which is centered on the theme ‘paving the way for the institutionalization 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 Head of state and government of ECOWAS in Niamey, Niger in January 2006. In 2007, ECOWAS Heads of state and Governments also adapted a strategic vision to transform west African into a borderless region which focuses on bringing citizens of west African and the regional institution closer together, a step meant to move from an ECOWAS of people thereby ensuring a people-centered ECOWAS by the year 2020.
The workshop among other thing aimed at sensation stakeholder on the
operational modalities and implementation strategies of the various cross- border cooperation initiatives undertake in the pilot operation zone southern Senegambia; solicit political support and leadership in the implementation process and identify concrete step to sustain strategic partnership, establish necessary coordinating and management structures at local and national levels, develop national action plan in furtherance of the regional cross-border cooperation strategy and to identify area 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 stakeholder towards of the objective 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 precondition of establishing and developing cross-border contacts,’’ he said.
He added that where the basic condition for cross-border cooperation already exist, programmers should focus assistance on action that bring added value to cross-border activities. He then assured that this ministry in fulfillment of its cording 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 vigor and enthusiasm for the past several year According to him, in recent year, cross- border issue have preoccupied the development agenda of the region in pursuit of ensuring free movement of people and good 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 realization 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-marginalia border area. 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 time limit in order to promote and consolidate peace .security stability and development in border zone in particular and the entire region in general.
According to her, cross-border initiatives programmes 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 dynamic has since been developed and has been transformed into a concrete promgramme which serves as a tool to promote regional integration as well contribute to effort at accelerating the integration process in west African
She on behalf of the president of the ECOWAS commission. Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, recognized the efforts of all partners who have contributed to the operationalisation of the programmme in west African and express hope that concrete recommendation will be drawn out of the two-day confab.
