Monrovia, Liberia – A Cross-Border Cooperation Support Program has been initiated by the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia with the goal of promoting Free Movement and Migration among the Mano River Union’s member nations.
On Monday, April 29, 2023, representatives of the Liberian government and the ECOWAS Mission’s office came together to inaugurate the Cross-border Cooperation Support Program. A regional program known as the ECOWAS Cross-Border Cooperation Program (ECBCSP) was created on January 12, 2006, during the 29th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Niamey.
In order to guarantee social regional construction and sustainable development, the Program is a multi-sectoral development program that works with border communities, national and municipal agencies, and civil society.
Cooperation, integration, and cross-border development are strengthened as a result of its promotion of regional peace and security, management of migration and free movement, support for collaborative socioeconomic development projects, and local community empowerment efforts.
The ECOWAS Revised Treaty, the Protocols on the Free Movement of People, Goods, and Services, the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF), the ECOWAS Common Approach on Migration, and associated ECOWAS Common Migration Frameworks serve as the foundation for the ECOWAS Cross-Border Cooperation Program.
ECBCSP’s target beneficiaries include women’s and youth groups, media networks, local authorities, municipalities, ECOWAS member states, border management agencies, joint commissions, local NGOs, civil society organizations, and media networks.
Program intervention areas include peace and security (including conflict prevention, management, and resolution), migration, free movement, trade, and decentralized cooperation between South and South in sectoral areas of development (health, water and sanitation, energy, transport, tourism, culture, and sports, among others); agriculture, breeding, environment, and natural resources; information, education-training, capacity building, and communication (IEC).
Speaking at the launch, ECOWAS Resident Representative Josephine Nkrumah commended the Liberian government for its constructive response to the regional request to form a Technical Committee to tackle national development and migration issues and to assist regional initiatives to enhance the efficient implementation of the ECOWAS Protocols on Free Movement across borders. In order to further the ECOWAS Integration Agenda, Ambassador Nkrumah emphasized that Liberia’s strong interest, dedication, and support are demonstrated by the establishment of the Cross-Border Cooperation Support Program.
The program’s overarching goals, according to the ECOWAS Resident Representative, are to expedite and deepen regional integration within ECOWAS and to promote cross-border collaboration among populations, nations, and markets.
Nine Member States Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo have inaugurated their National Platforms, according to Madan Nkrumah. After their National Platforms were introduced, each received a $100,000 US subvention from the ECOWAS Commission, which allowed them to quickly initiate cross-border projects in border communities. As of right now, the ECBCSP projects that were funded have been effectively completed by five of the nine Member States (Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, and Senegal).
”In a similar manner, a subvention of USD 100,000.00 (one hundred thousand US dollars) will be given to Liberia to launch immediate operations by implementing cross-border projects in border communities in line with the objectives of the ECBCSP, following the launch of the country’s National Platform and the signing of a Framework of Cooperation Agreement between the ECOWAS Commission and Liberia.”
The ECOWAS Cross-Border Cooperation, according to Dr. Ibrahim Al-Bakri Nyei, the deputy minister for international cooperation and regional integration, will connect frontiers with economical and cultural ties, particularly between Liberia and Sierra Leone. According to him, this will also encourage initiative among communities living across borders in support of peace, stability, and development.
Dr. Nyei claimed that the Mano River Union region’s poor transportation infrastructure and ineffective services constitute a significant barrier to socioeconomic integration and growth.
Despite major recent gains, he noted, ports, roads, railways, and airports remain impediments in the ECOWAS region. As you may be aware, the program paper makes it very explicit that governance and implementing bodies at the regional and local levels are essential to the institutional system for carrying out the ERCBCSP, the Deputy Minister said. In terms of decision-making during the implementation phase, the Zonal Committee, the Sectorial Ministers and Experts, and the Council of Ministers rank first through fourth, respectively, with the National Platforms (National Committees).
