CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVES PROGRAMME

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1 CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVES PROGRAMME ECOWAS Executive Secretariat Abuja, August 2005 Document drafted with the support of the Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat

2 Abbreviations and Acronyms AEBR CILSS ECOWAS Association of European Border Regions - Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (Comité Permanent Inter Etats de Lutte Contre la Sécheresse au Sahel) Economic Community of West African States ENDA-DIAPOL Enda Prospective Dialogue Politique EPA European Partnership Agreements between the European Union and ACP countries MDP NEPAD Municipal Development Partnership (Partenariat pour le Développement Municipal en Afrique de l Ouest et du Centre) New Partnership for Africa s Development OCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs SWAC Sahel and West Africa Club UNOWA United Nations Office For West Africa WABI WAEMU ZARESE West Africa Borders and Integration Initiative (Frontières et Intégrations en Afrique de l Ouest) West African Economic Monetary Union (Union Économique et Monétaire de l Afrique de l Ouest) Zones at High Environmental and Social Risk (Zones A Risque Environnementale et Social Elevé) Contacts N Faly SANOH Point focal Programmes Initiatives Transfrontalières, CEDEAO nfalysanoh@yahoo.fr Laurent BOSSARD Chef de l Unité Développement local et processus d intégration régionale, CSAO-OCDE. laurent.bossard@oecd.org 2

3 Table of Contents SUMMARY...5 INTRODUCTION...9 I. PROGRAMME S RATIONALE THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC DENSIFICATION OF MANY BORDER ZONES THE NEED TO CREATE A REGIONAL ECONOMIC ZONE Regional ambitions Specificities and potential roles of border zones THE NEED TO MANAGE REGIONALLY THE CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICTS Regional ambitions Specificities and potential roles of border zones THE NEED TO GIVE A REGIONAL DIMENSION TO A LARGE NUMBER OF SECTORAL POLICIES Regional ambitions Specificities and potential roles of border zones THE NEED FOR A REGIONAL INTEGRATION PROCESS CLOSER TO POPULATIONS AND WITH A STRONGER FOOT- HOLD IN REALITIES ON THE GROUND Capitalising on traditional solidarities Bringing regional integration into the area of participatory development...14 II. PROGRAMME: ORIGIN AND ACHIEVEMENTS...15 III. PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION GENERAL OBJECTIVES Limit the regional dissemination of instability and insecurity Accelerating the regional integration process within the ECOWAS zone DURATION AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES To raise awareness and capitalise on existing cross-border initiatives Demonstrate that it is possible to support these initiatives through the implementation of pilot projects Provide ECOWAS and its member States with a juridical framework encouraging cross-border cooperation and support the States who want to participate Coming up with an ambitious programme to disseminate cross-border cooperation APPROACH AND ACTIVITIES At the local cross-border level Relations between border States At the ECOWAS level Relations between regional blocs: EPA ECOWAS E.U Preparing for the future PARTNERSHIPS IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES A special advisor to ECOWAS Executive Secretary for cross-border affairs C.I.P. technical team A Steering Committee INDICATIVE CALENDAR EXPECTED RESULTS BUDGET General Presentation Explanatory elements on the financing and nature of operations on the ground...27 ANNEX 1: MEMORANDUM APPROVED BY ECOWAS COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, JANUARY ANNEX 2: PALM OIL TRADE IN SOUTHERN SENEGAMBIA...33 ANNEX 3: THE PEACE MIRADORS BETWEEN SENEGAL AND GUINEA-BISSAU...35 ANNEX 4: DAILY HEALTH CARE IN THE MOPTI ZONE (MALI) OUAHIGOUYA (BURKINA FASO)37 3

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5 SUMMARY The Cross-border Initiatives Programme (C.I.P.) resulted from the adoption of a Memorandum in January 2005 entitled the Cross-border Concept or Local Integration by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of ECOWAS member countries. This would enable ECOWAS to accelerate the regional integration process fostering the increase in cross-border initiatives and projects defined and implemented by public and private local actors. The C.I.P. is not a sectoral programme. All of the aspects of West African life are involved: security and conflict prevention, health and education, agriculture, livestock breeding and environment, trade and transport, industry and services, culture and sports. This programme s local and cross-border approach sets it apart and renders it complementary to the large sectoral regional strategies. Rationale West African cross-border zones are ever more populated. These zones have significantly increasing development potential although they remain marginalised and often fragile. West African cooperation and integration is hindered daily in these areas despite existing ECOWAS laws on the free circulation of goods and people and on the freedom of establishment. They also suffer the consequences of disparities between national economic policies. These are zones rarely where conflicts begin but where their consequences continue and take shape. Refugee camps are usually found in cross-border areas and are where trafficking and insecurity develop. The public and private actors of these zones have many projects, initiatives or ideas that they try to implement or would like to create: mediation structures and conflict prevention, health centres, border markets, a cross-border system of rural routes, concerted management of transhumance trails, etc. Fortunately these initiatives are strongly anchored in this environment and are able to develop over time. While recognising and supporting these initiatives, ECOWAS can accelerate and reinforce the regional integration process from the bottom up while improving the region s security and its development. Background In 2003, the Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC/OECD), the NGO, ENDA-Diapol and the National Borders Directorate of Mali created the West African Borders and Integration (WABI) Initiative with the aim to promote cross-border cooperation. At the same time other partners were developing a cross-border approach in the fields of territorial development (MDP and the WAEMU) and security (UNOWA). In October 2004, the second WABI network workshop was held in Abuja and ECOWAS Executive Secretariat announced its commitment to implement the C.I.P. with the SWAC s support. In January 2005 ECOWAS Ministers of Foreign Affairs approved this concept (see Annex 1). General objectives Limit the regional spreading of instability and insecurity. Accelerate the regional integration process within the ECOWAS zone Duration and specific objectives The programme will be carried out over three years. It aims to: Raise awareness of existing cross-border initiatives Demonstrate that these initiatives can capitalise on experiences carried out on the ground. Provide ECOWAS and its member States with a juridical framework fostering cross-border cooperation. Create an ambitious widespread cross-border cooperation programme. 5

6 Activities At the local cross-border level: Activity 1: Identify and review cross-border initiatives Activity 2: Create six pilot cross-border dialogue frameworks Activity 3: Support ten pilot projects. As regards relations between border States: Activity 4: Encourage concrete involvement by the States At the ECOWAS level: Activity 5: Develop an ECOWAS Cross-Border Cooperation Convention (CBCC) Activity 6: Carry out a feasibility study on an ECOWAS Fund for the Facilitation of Cross-Border Cooperation Activity 7: Undertake a feasibility study on a cross-border observatory. As regards relations between regional blocs: Activity 8: Integrate cross-border cooperation in the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement ECOWAS European Union. On the basis of Activities 1 through 8, at the end of the programme: Activity 9: Organise an international conference on the future of cross-border cooperation in West Africa around local border actors. In order to foster synergies: Activity 10: Develop and maintain numerous partnerships. Implementation modalities A special advisor to ECOWAS Executive Secretary for cross-border affairs A technical team composed of a Team Leader, an expert and an assistant. A Steering Committee to meet twice per year to discuss and adjust the programme s implementation; and review and validate the financial choices concerning cross-border dialogue frameworks and pilot projects. Expected results Activity 1: A directory of cross-border initiatives in West Africa Promotion of these initiatives to cooperation agencies Probably financing of several of these initiatives outside the Programme by interested donors. Activity 2: Creation of six cross-border dialogue frameworks Genuine improvement of security and fluidity Emergence of concrete projects financed within the programme s framework or bilaterally by interested donors Lessons learned in order to expand this approach Activity 3: Approximately ten pilot projects carried out; small scale but replicable Lessons learned in order to expand this approach 6

7 Activity 4: Dissemination of the cross-border concept and its modalities within the national administrations of countries wishing to participate Probable additional bi- or tri-lateral agreements between particularly motivated countries. Activity 5: An ECOWAS Juridical Convention approved by all ECOWAS member States on which national administrations and locally elected officials would be able to rely in order to take action in crossborder areas of countries willing to participate. If necessary, additional bi-lateral or tri-lateral conventions between particularly motivated countries. Activity 6: Feasibility study of an ECOWAS Fund for the Facilitation of Cross-Border Cooperation on the basis of experiences carried out within the framework of Activities 2 and 3. Activity 7: Feasibility study of a cross-border area observatory. Experience acquired from Activity 1 and the creation of a network of border actors will help develop a cross-border area observatory project: its purpose would be to monitor sensitive zones and facilitate dialogue, as well as to carry out structural analyses and develop strategic proposals. Activity 8: Officially integrate cross-border cooperation in the implementation strategy of the EPA; including the EU s participation as regards funds for facilitation (Activity 7). Activity 9: International Conference on the future of cross-border cooperation in West Africa. Development of a global policy for the future of cross-border cooperation. Activity 10: Development of numerous partnerships with regional institutions, national and local structures, NGOs and associations. Budget The Programme s budget has been set at US$1.7 million for a three-year period. Operations on the ground, which are at the core of this approach, represent almost 50% of the total budget. The regional team represents one third of the budget. The political function undertaken by the special advisor to the Executive Secretary is essential to solidifying the States support and administrative structures and the direct participation of these structures to operations on the ground. The financing of the cross-border dialogue frameworks must provide for: Modest remunerations for an NGO or a local association in order to organise dialogue framework meetings and support the development of activities Modest financing for facilitating the implementation of a specific cross-border activity to support or solidify the dialogue framework (contribution to a cross-border cultural festival; creation of signs at border posts explaining ECOWAS citizens rights; contribution to the physical installation of a mediation area in order to settle cross-border differences, etc.) Support radio campaigns raising awareness in areas concerned. 7

8 The financing of pilot projects should be provided for activities which have already been developed and in certain cases have already undergone a first phase of implementation. The amount allocated to these projects being relatively modest (US$ maximum for each one), the Programme will provide support with preference to projects locally co-financed and which could be replicable. In a certain number of cases, the co-financing provided to a project could serve as a lever to mobilise a more considerable budget from a cooperation agency or an international NGO. 8

9 INTRODUCTION This document describes the methods in which ECOWAS Cross-border Initiatives Programme (C.I.P.) will be implemented during the period This programme was a result of the adoption in January 2005 of a memorandum entitled the Cross-border Concept or Local Integration by ECOWAS member countries Ministers of Foreign Affairs. This memorandum appears in Annex 1 attached hereto. The cross-border area concept was set forth at the beginning of 2000 by Alpha Oumar Konaré, then President of Mali, who wished to see borders give way to cross-border areas: zones of bonding, sharing and exchange, where populations on both sides of the border share schools, security posts, markets and health centres. Local integration, Cross-border areas, Cross-border cooperation, whatever the term used, it enables ECOWAS to accelerate the regional integration process fostering the increase of cross-border initiatives and projects defined and implemented by public and private local actors. The C.I.P. is not a sectoral programme. All of the dimensions of West African life are taken into account: security and conflict prevention, health and education, agriculture, livestock breeding and environment, trade and transport, industry and services, culture and sports. This local and cross-border approach sets it apart and renders it complementary to the large sectoral regional strategies. I. PROGRAMME S RATIONALE 1.1 The demographic and economic densification of many border zones Evolution of Market Attractiveness in West Africa At the time of independence, West Africa was sparsely populated and its population was essentially concentrated on the coast and around large Sahelian cities. Between 1960 and 2000, the region s total population multiplied 3-fold, growing from 87 to 260 million inhabitants. The number of villages has increased significantly and, around these villages, the rural agricultural areas have become denser. The map opposite shows the evolution shaped by the relationship between rural spaces and urban markets. The darker and larger the areas, the greater the intensity of trading. It appears thus in West Africa that the trade zones once separated from each other, progressively merged with each other going beyond national borders. Once marginalised, many of the border zones are now in the trade circuit as regards the agricultural market. 9

10 The map below confirms this evolution. It illustrates that between Sahelian and coastal countries, there are fifty or so villages with more than inhabitants within a 150km perimeter of borderlines. If this same map had been drawn up twenty years ago, twenty or so localities would not have appeared. Over twenty years, fifteen localities have emerged. The greatest urban density of northern Nigeria and northern Cameroon illustrates what could happen within one generation, in southern Niger, northern Ghana, northern Côte d Ivoire and southwest Senegal. Urban cross-border network between sahelian and coastal countries (cities with more than inhabitants, except Nigeria where only cities with more than inhabitants are shown) Gambia Banjul Ziguinchor G.Bissau Senegal Bissau Guinea Tamba Kolda Bignona Bafata Labé More than inhab inhab inhab inhab inhab More than inhabitants within the next 15 years Siguiri Kankan Mali Burkina Kati Bamako Koutiala Sikasso Bougouni Tingréla Korhogo Boundiali Odienné Dosso Ouaga Tenkodogo Fada Malanville Bobo Bawku Kandi Dapaong Banfora Bolgatanga Wa Natitingou Ferké Côte d Ivoire Ghana km Tahoua Dakoro Niamey Birni.N Maradi Dogondouchi Illela Togo Benin Sokoto Birni.K Kaura Jega Gusau Niger Zinder Tessaoua Nguru Daura Katsina Gumel Hadejia Kukawa Monguno Dutsin Maiduguri Kano Nigeria Chad Pala Garoua Ndjaména Kousséri Mokolo Maroua Kaélé Cameroon Today, there are around 50 cities with more than inhabitants within a 150 km radius of national borders. Would one have drawn the same map twenty years ago, around 20 cities would not have appeared. The same map in 1960 would only have shown fewer than 10 cities with more than inhabitants. In 20 years, a further 15 cities will appear. The high urban density in the north of Nigeria and in the north of Cameroon, gives an idea of the things to come in southern Niger, northern Ghana, northern Côte d Ivoire and south-western Senegal within one generation. High trade intensity cross-border zones are in the process of appearing and developing. This is where almost all foreign trade passes between the global market and the land-locked countries and between Sahelian countries and coastal countries. These zones also structure regional-local trade whose intensity has grown proportionally more than its population growth. These spaces, their potential as well as their specific risks (see item 1.3.2) must be taken into account within the cooperation and regional integration strategies. 1.2 The need to create a regional economic zone Regional ambitions Over the last years, ECOWAS has had significant success maintaining peace and collective security, to the point where certain observers have sometimes been tempted to make this their sole purpose. Furthermore, the Economic Community of West African States is, as its name indicates, an economic cooperation instrument between countries sharing common borders. The revised ECOWAS Treaty provides, in its Article 3.1, that the aims of the Community are to promote co-operation and integration, leading to the establishment of an economic union in West Africa ( ). The treaty also foresees that in order to achieve these goals expressed (Art. 3.2), the Community ( ) shall, by stages ensure the establishment of a common market through: The liberalisation of trade by the abolition, among Member States, of customs duties levied on imports and exports, and the abolition among Member States, of non-tariff barriers in order to establish a free trade area at the Community level; 10

11 The adoption of a common external tariff and a common trade policy vis-à-vis third countries; The removal, between Member States, of obstacles to the free movement of persons, goods, service and capital, and to the right of residence and establishment; ( ). Furthermore, other factors push for the deepening of regional integration and cooperation, through the creation of a common market and eliminating barriers between States. In particular, the small size of many national West African markets hinders competitiveness of regional production as compared to Chinese, American and European market competition. This has led ECOWAS, along with Mauritania, to negotiate and sign a regional Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union. This Agreement, from which soon will emerge a free Euro- African trade zone, is based on the hypothesis that the pressure of competition and market integration should impel the West African economy to restructure on a regional basis Specificities and potential roles of border zones In its true meaning, border zones are the front lines of this regional economic integration ambition. There are daily hindrances and many constraints which are still going against West African cooperation and integration despite the existence of ECOWAS laws on the free circulation of goods and people and the freedom of establishment. These zones also suffer the consequences of the disparities between national economic policies. They are subject to a purely national notion of how economic sectors should be managed. While these sectors provide enormous potential, the development of this potential is hindered because of cross-border situations. A good illustration of this is the palm oil trade in Southern Senegambia, as set out in Annex 2. The work carried out on the ground over the last few years bears witness to a remarkable capacity for proposals by border actors to concretely improve the fluidity of borders and develop cross-border economic activities. Should concerned States allow this type of initiative and should development partners provide support to this type of programme, it would be possible to Create cross-border dialogue frameworks where representatives from customs services and the police, private operators, locally elected officials, and ministry representatives would be involved, with the aim to apply the laws related to the free circulation of goods and people 1. These dialogue frameworks could be able to develop concrete proposals aiming for example to compensate for the loss of a customs post in an area by setting up a border market. 2 Foster the development of cross-border economic projects. For example, the transformation of peanut oil in Guinea Bissau by the Huilerie de Ziguinchor is problematic simply because of the difficulties in crossing the border. Another example, a group of traders from Katsina (northern Nigeria) proposed to finance and set up a border market but were met with difficulties in collaborating with the Nigerien authorities. 1 There are existing projects already developed in this regard: for example a project by the NGO Foddé on the border between Senegal and Guinea-Bissau (Mansa Konko Pata zone) which aims to disseminate ECOWAS and States texts and by-laws towards local actors so that these local actors can be alerted to potential administrative hassles. This project benefits from the agreement by the Senegalese and Bissau-Guinean police and customs officers. 2 This would notably help accelerate the setting up of juxtaposed customs posts envisaged by ECOWAS and the WAEMU; these projects result from a loss of activity for areas whose customs officers and police will be situated on the other side of the border. 11

12 1.3 The need to manage regionally the consequences of conflicts Regional ambitions The last decades have demonstrated the dynamics of the regional spreading of conflicts and instability. Even with local and national origins, all conflicts can have significant regional affects: involuntary migration flows, circulation of armed groups, and often illicit trafficking of goods and resources, in particular diamonds and timber. The illegal war economy from which this results is at the same time a consequence of conflict and a source of the spreading of instability regionally. Organisations providing support to refugees or those who fuel and finance the combatant demobilisation and reconstruction processes, attest to the difficulties linked to this regional dimension of problems which is very difficult to take into account. The concept of developing regional management tools for postconflict situations is henceforth very widely shared Specificities and potential roles of border zones Border zones in West Africa are where refugee camps are generally located and where trafficking develops and insecurity is at its highest. Réfugiés avril 2003 dans les pays de la MRU source UNHCR G. Bissau Conakry Freetown S. Leone Sénégal Guinée Kambia 73 Dabola Koidu Bo Monrovia Liberia 130 Kissidougou Guékédou Gbarnga Macenta Nzé 13 Zwedru Mali Man Danané Guiglo? Zones de réfugiés Zones de rapatriés Flux de réfugiés Flux transfrontaliers Camps de réfugiés 20 Réfugiés S. léonais (*1000) 20 Réfugiés Libériens (*1000) 20 Réfugiés ivoiriens (*1000) Odienné 35 San Pedro Tabou Burkina?? Korhogo Côte d Ivoire Z.A.R Bouaké Yamoussoukro Abidjan Ghana? The cross-border zone inhabitants, vulnerable due to the consequences of conflicts and/or prey to instability and insecurity, are sources of a large number of little known or hardly-supported initiatives. On a formal level, the security services on both sides of the border maintain in many cases regular contact facilitating ad hoc collaborations (arrests of delinquents). But these collaborations are more often based only on personal relationships and not on official collaborative procedures. 12

13 For a large part, civil society implements a wide range of spontaneous initiatives, such as the hosting of refugees, the fight against trafficking or mediation. An example hereto attached in Annex 3 describes how traditional border village authorities of Senegal and Guinea-Bissau have set up peace miradors, places for negotiation and discussion that can prevent a large number of tensions. Without a doubt it is necessary and possible to support these local initiatives while better coordinating their action with interventions by the international community. These initiatives have the advantage of being strongly anchored in their specific environment and of being able to develop over time. This approach is in line with the rational as set out in the programme Integrated Strategies for Sensitive Border Areas in West Africa piloted by UNOWA and OCCHA The need to give a regional dimension to a large number of sectoral policies Regional ambitions Like various gas lines and oil pipelines built or under construction, most African infrastructures in the transport, energy, telecommunications, hydraulics sectors, as well as education and health sectors would be able to be built, managed and used within sustainable partnership frameworks between neighbouring countries. The ambition is to create integrated markets at the regional level as well as reduce poverty. Most sub-saharan African countries suffer from a double handicap of having revenues per inhabitant among the lowest on the planet while the principal cost of services being among the highest. This double handicap reduces the probability of private and public savings to accumulate and penalizes investment as regards hydraulics, transport, telecommunications or energy, which could actually reduce the cost of main services. Unless this investment is made within a transnational framework leading to economies of scale, it will be difficult to break this vicious cycle. Furthermore, structuring infrastructure facilitates market integration which in turn can help accelerate their amortisation Specificities and potential roles of border zones Border zones are often marginalised in the implementation of sectoral policies due to their geographic location, as regards transport, electricity, access to education and health. Despite this type of situation, the inhabitants of these zones react with a lot of common sense. Schools and health centres are frequented by populations living on either side of the border simply because they live nearby or because the high quality of teaching or health care. These practices are accepted but not encouraged. On the basis of suggestions set forth by those local health authorities, Annex 4 describes what can be done to improve the sanitary situation in the border zone between Mopti (Mali) and Ouahigouya (Burkina Faso). Many of ideas of this type can be proposed by local public and private actors: a cross-border system of rural routes, a more concerted management of transhumance paths, etc. In order for these projects to emerge and be implemented, it is essential for a cross-border dialogue to be developed involving at the same time local actors, central governments (Ministry of Health, Transport, Education, etc.) and donors. 3 A United Nations Security Council mission carried out in West Africa in June 2003 brought to light these problems in the sensitive border zones. Following this mission, the United Nations Secretary-General recommended in his March 2004 report, that the United Nations work on integrated cooperation strategies with concerned governments in the treatment of a large range of problems affecting these zones, in order to try to prevent the spread of conflicts. From this emerged a joint initiative Integrated strategies for sensitive border areas in West Africa, managed by the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Regional Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in close relationship with ECOWAS. 13

14 1.5 The need for a regional integration process closer to populations and with a stronger foot-hold in realities on the ground Capitalising on traditional solidarities For a long time there has been an enormous amount of economic and social trade within West Africa, which links together these different sub-regions while at the same time trading amongst themselves and other regions of the world. Trade illustrates a continuum of cultural relations which, despite different ethnicities, religious beliefs, or nationalities, determine the unitary nature of the sub-region. Political fragmentation has never hindered the populations from maintaining relations going beyond the established borders. This continuity is even more apparent in cosmopolitan centres and moreover in other border areas where there is a mélange of the regional populations. In these areas, the administrative or monetary differences do not conceal linguistic, religious or customary affinities of border populations. The border regions or cross-border areas (pays-frontière) as expressed by Alpha Oumar Konaré are characterised by a relatively homogeneous population who engage in all types of trade amongst themselves. This traditional solidarity base is for the moment rarely taken into account in regional strategies. It however constitutes a basis and significant potential to speed up the integration process. The development of cross-border cooperation is from this angle an opportunity Bringing regional integration into the area of participatory development Regional-level development projects until now focused on the macro sector: large communication or energy (dams, etc.) infrastructures, programmes fighting severe human and animal pandemics (onchocercosis, AIDS, cattle plagues), policy coordination (economic and monetary convergence, common agricultural policy). ECOWAS intends henceforth to supplement this approach by introducing and developing of a participatory approach favouring more modest projects, but anchored in the cross-border socio-economic framework and attainable in a relatively short amount of time. Cross-border cooperation thus provides participatory regional development, sought by populations. This approach must also support the challenge of reconciliation between West African populations and the regional integration process supported by organisations such as ECOWAS and the WAEMU whose efforts are often ignored and rarely understood. 14

15 II. PROGRAMME: ORIGIN AND ACHIEVEMENTS In 2003, the OECD s Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC), the NGO, ENDA-Diapol and the National Borders Directorate of Mali, created the West African Borders and Integration (WABI) Initiative with an aim to promote cross-border cooperation as an efficient regional integration construction tool. At the same time, other partners emphasised the importance of a cross-border approach to territorial development (MDP and the WAEMU) and security (UNOWA). In October 2004, ECOWAS Executive Secretary invited the WABI network to hold its second workshop in Abuja under the auspices of ECOWAS. This meeting would be an opportunity to invite a wide range of public and private border actors, who could present projects and concrete proposals. ECOWAS Executive Secretary seized this opportunity to announce the creation of an ECOWAS Cross-border Initiatives Programme (C.I.P.) aimed at supporting the implementation on the ground of projects and proposals conceived by field actors. ECOWAS and the SWAC/OECD have committed to working together in defining and implementing the C.I.P. In January 2005, the Executive Secretariat submitted a memorandum on this theme to ECOWAS Ministers of Foreign Affairs which they have supported (see Annex 1). On this basis, the Executive Secretary informed all of its member States Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the operational follow-up that he intended to propel this policy forward which consists of: Launching two cross-border cooperation pilot experiences: one in the border regions of Burkina Faso and Mali adjoining the Côte d'ivoire (Sikasso Bobo Dioulasso Korhogo zone); the other in the Southern Senegambia (the zone comprised of the Gambia, southern Senegal and Guinea-Bissau). The workshops launching these pilot operations are scheduled to take place in September and October 2005, respectively. These initiatives are based on close collaboration between ECOWAS and the SWAC/OECD, UNOWA, MDP and ENDA-Diapol. An exploratory exercise on an ECOWAS cross-border convention; based on exchanges and meetings with the Council of Europe, author of the Madrid Convention which applies to Europe as regards cross-border cooperation. Developing the C.I.P. In the spirit of ECOWAS and the SWAC, the aim is to define a transitory period setting up projects on the ground and a policy approach in order to, at the same time, confirm the utility of cross-border cooperation and commit to a more generalised process. This document sets out this objective. The implementation of the C.I.P. during the 2006 to 2008 period will benefit from the WABI network s experiences and will rely on the already-established partnerships with the regional and international structures implicated in cross-border cooperation (see item 3.3). The C.I.P. will thus capitalise on the numerous ventures already undertaken in the cross-border areas, in particular: Southern Senegambia (ENDA-Diapol, the SWAC) - Sikasso (Mali) Korhogo (Côte d'ivoire) Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) (MDP, the SWAC, UNOWA, ENDA-Diapol) The zones at high social and environmental risk (zones à risques environnemental et social élevé ZARESE)- (CILSS) Maradi (Niger) Katsina Kano (Nigeria) (ENDA-Diapol and the SWAC) Gaya (Niger) Malanville (Benin) (the SWAC) 15

16 All of the sensitive border zones identified by UNOWA and OCHA: Guinea/Côte d Ivoire/Liberia/Sierra Leone (Forest Guinea); Mali/Burkina Faso/Côte d Ivoire/Ghana; Mauritania/Mali/Niger Furthermore, the implementation of this programme will be supported by the existing specific partnership between the SWAC and ECOWAS in the area of cross-border cooperation. A certain number of activities on which the SWAC is currently working will be progressively integrated and then transferred to the C.I.P., in particular: An exercise aiming to create a cross-border initiatives directory (see Activity 1 described below). To support raising the States awareness (see Activity 4). Joint strategic thinking with the Council of Europe as regards the drafting of an ECOWAS crossborder convention (see Activity 5). 16

17 III. PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION 3.1 General objectives Implemented by ECOWAS, the C.I.P. s main feature is to capitalise on the cross-border populations initiative to promote peace, stability and development. Its general objectives are: Limit the regional dissemination of instability and insecurity Peace and security are the first conditions for development and regional integration. ECOWAS, with the help of its partners, has developed policy and military tools in order to face this essential endeavour. In order to complete this panoply, it is now vital to capitalise on local cross-border initiatives related to early warning, mediation and promotion of dialogue. These are the initiatives implemented by traditional authorities, locally-elected officials, youth organisations and cultural associations who are in a position day-to-day to manage tensions, fight against illegal trafficking, and develop economic activities Accelerating the regional integration process within the ECOWAS zone If regional cooperation and integration must foster the emergence of a West African Economic Union through the creation of a common market, these objectives will not be achieved only by proclamation. They must be supplemented by policies and concrete measures which can result in changes on the ground. These policies and measures should in particular alleviate the barrier effect produced by borders: While increasing defined cross-border projects and their implementation by the beneficiaries in the areas of security, agriculture, livestock breeding, hydraulics, and territorial development (paths, routes, markets), health (sharing health centres, allocating medical expertise between two border health centres), and education. While creating public-private local coalitions responsible for making, negotiating and adapting realistic proposals in the area of free circulation of goods and people. 3.2 Duration and specific objectives The C.I.P. s implementation is set to cover a three year period from January 2006 to December As regards the general objectives set out above, the specific objectives are: To raise awareness and capitalise on existing cross-border initiatives The multiple positive cross-border dynamics must be underscored to convince member States and the international community of the utility of cross-border cooperation Demonstrate that it is possible to support these initiatives through the implementation of pilot projects The potential of cross-border cooperation to react rapidly and greatly improve security and the regional integration process must be demonstrated on the ground Provide ECOWAS and its member States with a juridical framework encouraging crossborder cooperation and support the States who want to participate Today West Africa does not have a juridical framework encouraging cross-border cooperation. It is thus essential to provide ECOWAS with such a framework which would allow member States to participate in cross-border cooperation. On the other hand, ECOWAS must support the States national administrations who so wish to do so, in the process of applying this juridical framework. 17

18 3.2.4 Coming up with an ambitious programme to disseminate cross-border cooperation. On the basis of activities which will lead to the specific objectives to 3.2.2, ECOWAS must devise, with its partners, a much more ambitious programme with: A cross-border area observatory pays-frontière ; A regional fund for the facilitation of cross-border cooperation. This ambitious programme could possibly be supplemented by the creation of a West African border region association, if however the locally-elected officials of the region express such a desire and support the project. 3.3 Approach and activities The C.I.P. is based on four levels of interventions: Close cross-border relationships between authorities and/or local/regional communities (1); Bi- and tri-lateral relationships between States that share a common border, absolutely essential to development (2); Regional intergovernmental framework (3) Relationships between regional blocs eager to solidify relations in the context of their internal and external integration (4) At the local cross-border level The local/regional level is the most important in the operational aspect and concretisation of the programme 4. At the local/regional level the policies aims are able to become realities on the ground with the help of socio-economic, operational and concrete processes. Activity 1. Identification and review of cross-border initiatives. Knowing that now most West African borders abound in or have plans for cross-border cooperation initiatives, the programme will undertake to identify these initiatives. This approach will examine all types of initiative: twinning of towns and villages, mediation associations and the preservation of peace, initiatives in all of the socioeconomic sectors, collaborations between health centres/hospitals, schools or colleges, border markets, etc. Activity 2. Creation of cross-border dialogue frameworks formal and permanent between authorities and/or local/regional communities, on both sides of the border. Such frameworks should be first set up within strategic areas in terms of security or trade or moreover the pivotal role they could play in sub-regional territorial development. A project of juxtaposed border posts could be an advantage 5. Preparatory work will be undertaken to help identify approximately twelve sites in border areas belonging to ECOWAS member States who are willing to participate in this pilot experience. 4 5 It includes the border municipalities, the decentralized levels of territorial administration (departments, circles, etc.), and stretches to local communities at the regional level or Federated States as regards forms of politicoadministrative organisation. It can also be that it corresponds to historic territories provided with a certain geographic, social or cultural homogeneity. The regional transit and road transport programme (ECOWAS/WAEMU) plans notably to set up juxtaposed border posts at intra-community borders with the aim to making traffic more fluid. 18

19 On each of these sites, ECOWAS will support, through the Programme, the creation of a cross-border dialogue framework for a period of one year, renewable one time only. Each dialogue framework will be composed of representatives of locally-elected officials, representatives of local State services, civil society, the private sector and associations. Each dialogue framework will establish, with the assistance of a consultant, a precise analysis of crossborder problems (security, barriers to free circulation, barriers to the development of certain economic industry, problems linked to transhumance, access to healthcare problems, etc.). On this basis, a work programme will be developed aiming either to improve a situation by greater coordination or by dialogue, or to concretely develop a project. Each dialogue framework will benefit from the support of a local NGO-type structure financed by the project. An evaluation and auto-evaluation exercise will help identify the achievements and problems after the first year and from which will possibly emerge a second year of support for the programme. Activity 3. Support of pilot projects. Activities 1 and 2 and the programme s achievements described in Point II above must quickly lead to modest projects or initiatives of an exemplary nature to merit ECOWAS direct support through the Programme. This limited budget (maximum ) could help a project be carried out or facilitate obtaining co-financing from donors or international NGOs located in the countries concerned. A dozen or so pilot projects could thus be supported Relations between border States If the C.I.P. s success is linked to the progress of local community initiatives these local communities must have the support of the interested border States. In particular, sovereignty Ministers (Foreign Affairs, Interior, Borders, etc.), those of Transport, Territorial Development, indeed Trade, Agriculture, Education or Health can play more or less significant roles in the deepening of border relationships. In order for these sovereignty Ministers to be involved, the minimum of a relationship would have to be developed. These relations can expand informally, but in order to be able to become systematic and in general essential to maximising the cross-border area potential, they must benefit from the agreement and commitment by the countries governments concerned. Activity 4. Foster genuine involvement of States. Even if ECOWAS member States Ministers of Foreign Affairs have approved the memorandum on the cross-border area concept (see Annex 1), and even if some States decide at a high level to participate in cross-border cooperation, important information and raising awareness remains to be done at the national administration level. National governments can impel active participation in or support for cross-border dialogue (Activity 2) and pilot projects (Activity 3) from their local representatives. Furthermore, the same awareness-raising and explaining must be brought to the attention of associations locally-elected officials and aid agency representatives and international NGOs based in the countries concerned. Finally, meeting with the already existing bilateral dialogue structures ( mixed commission type) is essential in order for them to be involved and encourage them to integrate cross-border cooperation. In cases where such commissions do not exist, ECOWAS can encourage the creation of cross-border work commissions in order to develop or manage communal equipment, health or social services, and natural resources At the ECOWAS level As much as the encouragement of strengthened cooperation between two or more States appears desirable, cross-border cooperation must provide important benefits and more so authority of a cross-border community juridical framework. ECOWAS must also be where strategic thinking develops on spreading cross-border cooperation as a regional integration instrument. 19

20 Activity 5. ECOWAS Cross-border Convention (CBCC). First, legal experts from ECOWAS member States will meet to discuss a draft Convention inspired by the Madrid Convention 6. The Regional Chamber of Congress of local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is ready to provide counsel and technical assistance to such an undertaking. Secondly, this revised project will be submitted to ECOWAS statutory authorities (Council of Ministers and Heads of State Conference). This Convention will be able to serve as a basis for strengthened cooperation between two or more States who would wish to do so. Activity 6. Feasibility study on establishing an ECOWAS Fund for the Facilitation of Cross- Border Cooperation. The ECOWAS zone level is strategic in order to support pilot operations on all intra-regional borders. ECOWAS must take responsibility for all the steps leading to the setting up and management of a fund facilitating cross-border initiatives. This fund could be managed by ECOWAS (all aspects of publications, commission studies, technical and policy support, etc.). In this respect, ECOWAS would be able to exchange dialogue with the European Union and the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) who have worked towards setting up such a mechanism within Europe. Within the framework of the Programme, ECOWAS will be responsible for a feasibility study of such a fund including the research and financing. Activity 7. Feasibility study on a cross-border area observatory. The border regions present specific characteristics, linked to history and geography which distinguishes them for the rest of the national territory. As such, they determine specific social situations which are above all recognised by their inhabitants and those who govern them. Therefore, there are several series of official and unofficial obstacles for which the solution goes through the mediation process between local communities, governments and integration organisations. Activities 1 (review of initiatives), 2 (dialogue frameworks), 4 (involvement of States) and 5 (ECOWAS juridical Convention) should lead ECOWAS via the C.I.P. Programme to develop an early warning and facilitation system of eventual border problems. For example: - Local, public, or private actors can provide information on the possible development of tensions (linked for example to land issues, cattle theft, illicit trafficking, etc.) - Locally-elected officials at border towns can observe tensions in their village between certain communities. On the basis of this information, the Executive Secretariat would be able to facilitate dialogue and create synergies between authorities at different levels on each side of the border. The Executive Secretariat would develop so that initiatives and proposals by social groups are best informed of eventual difficulties such as locally-elected officials, transport unions and traders, police and customs, etc.) The Secretariat would aim at times to solve certain urgent problems through informal contacts, but would be also best placed to propose regulatory reforms on border issues to States through ECOWAS. On a structural level, the understanding of border areas can lead ECOWAS to develop and implement medium- and long-term action plans for zones considered sensitive and strategic for the regional integration process. The ECOWAS Fund for the Facilitation of Cross-Border Cooperation would thus be greatly useful. On the basis of these beginnings and achievements during the three year activity period, the C.I.P. would develop a feasibility study on a cross-border area observatory Relations between regional blocs: EPA ECOWAS E.U The new EU-ACP Agreements, which have resulted from the Cotonou Convention, foresees substituting the global relationship between the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) countries and the European Union 6 The Madrid Convention, drafted by the Council of Europe in 1980, is a juridical text which founded cross-border cooperation in Europe. 20

21 (EU), with the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) or free-trade zones between the EU and the regional blocs. West Africa is relatively ahead in this process since it has already determined the group of countries (ECOWAS, along with Mauritania) with which to negotiate the new partnership and consequently form a regional bloc made up of a Euro-African free- trade zone. Due to the size of the ECOWAS zone market, this choice helps envisage that the region will be able to better take advantage of the productive complementarities. Regional integration is the basis for the EPA s implementation: Building on regional integration initiatives existing with the ACP, EPAs will contribute to consolidating and deepening these initiatives. They will help to make regional integration more effect and help to create larger markets 7. The strengthening of West African regional integration and the creation of a single West African market is a condition for EPA implementation. While supporting the implementation of a large number of crossborder projects, cross-border cooperation would be able to play a key role in the actual lowering of internal border barriers and creating this market. In Europe, cross-border cooperation has however played this role and continues to be an essential component in regional integration policy 8. Activity 8. Integration of cross-border cooperation in the implementation of the EPA. Through the Programme, ECOWAS will assure the coordination between the C.I.P. with the process leading to entering into force 1 January 2008, and the Economic Partnership Agreement EU-ECOWAS. This activity could be to a certain extent confused with Activity 6 by the possible means of financing an ECOWAS Fund for the Facilitation of Cross-Border Cooperation within the framework of the next Indicative Regional Programme (I.R.P.). It should also be noted that this activity would represent an opportunity to examine the European experience which has already been established of cross-border cooperation, and benefit from the accumulated knowledge of the European border movement Preparing for the future All of these activities presented in the preceding points aim to test cross-border cooperation on the ground, to provide the region with a policy and juridical framework promoting this approach and the development of more cross-border projects. Activity 9. International Conference on the future of cross-border cooperation in West Africa. It is essential to review the achievements of the programme and invite West Africans (State representatives, local public and private actors involved in the dialogue frameworks and pilot projects) to engage in strategic thinking with partners of programmes and aid agencies, on the future of cross-border cooperation. Such will be the theme of this conference which will mark the end of the programme and should help define eventual modalities to expand cooperation in West Africa. 3.4 Partnerships Activity 10. Partnerships. All of the activities described in the previous point are based on already existing or developing partnerships, notably, in alphabetical order: 7 8 European Commission source document: Economic Partnership Agreements: start of negotiations a new approach in the relations between the European Union and the ACP countries; Directorate General Trade, Directorate General Development; In Europe, the cross-border cooperation initiatives preceded the Single European Act signed in 1987 (Common External Tariff, free circulation of persons, goods and capital). But the development of support programmes for cross-border projects and those of European regions are in effect concomitant of the Single Act. 21