Director-General of National Boundary Commission, Surveyor Adamu A. Adaji, has stressed the importance of cross-border cooperation in combating transboundary crimes and deepening regional integration across West Africa.

Adaji, represented by Head of Cross Border Cooperation, Dr. Farouk Tarfa, spoke during the Annual Regional Stakeholders Meeting on ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation held in Abuja recently.

The regional meeting, hosted by ECOWAS Commission, brought together representatives from member-states, including Nigeria, Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo to deliberate on strengthening cross-border cooperation and regional integration within the sub-region.

Speaking during the plenary session, Tarfa said Nigeria was the first country in the sub-region to establish the ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation Programme. He stated that the initiative was adopted because of its strategic role in addressing border-related challenges.

According to him, the programme is helping member-states combat terrorism and other transboundary crimes while promoting social cohesion among border communities.

He explained that the programme leveraged the existing socio-cultural ties among border communities as building blocks for the ECOWAS integration agenda and supported the transition from a “Community of States” to a “Community of People.”

Tarfa stated that the programme promoted joint development and utilisation of transboundary resources, pooling of resources, strategic goods and services, integrated health management approaches for tackling transboundary diseases, as well as information sharing among member states on issues of common interest.

“This programme also provides opportunities for joint security operations capable of guaranteeing peace, security and stability within border areas, thereby facilitating growth and development across the region,” he said.

The meeting also reviewed the implementation of ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation Programmes in member-states and agreed on new joint initiatives aimed at strengthening regional peace, security and integration.

ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in January 2006 adopted the concept of Cross Border Cooperation as part of mechanisms to advance regional integration, leading to the establishment of the ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation Programme by ministers responsible for border issues. (This Day News)

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