SWAC news - November 2007

ECOWAS/Development Partners Co-ordination Meeting

ECOWAS Headquarters, Abuja (Nigeria), 19-20 November 2007

The ECOWAS Commission invited its development partners to participate in the 5th annual ECOWAS/Development Partners Co-ordination Meeting and exchange views on ECOWAS key documents such as the “ECOWAS Strategic Vision 2020”, the “2008-2010 Medium-Term Plan” and the “Capacity Building Strategic Framework”. This meeting also provided an opportunity to brief partners on the progress made in ECOWAS’ institutional transition phase and its impact on (i) human resources management, (ii) financial and accountability systems, (iii) relations with civil society organisations, and (iv) ECOWAS’ external funds mobilisation and utilisation. Participants acknowledged ECOWAS’ strategic vision as a framework for orientating West Africa’s integration and development initiatives. Relatively few ECOWAS member countries were represented at the annual event. Development partners reminded the ECOWAS Commission members that the involvement of West African people in the ECOWAS’ strategic vision needs to remain a constant concern if the new ECOWAS slogan “from an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of peoples” is to become reality.

ECOWAS/SWAC Consultations

Within the context of the ECOWAS/Development Partners Co-ordination meeting, the SWAC Director, Mr. Normand Lauzon, met in individual working sessions with the ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Ibn Chambas, Vice-President Mr. Somda, and various ECOWAS Commissioners and colleagues to discuss ECOWAS/SWAC activities and joint funding opportunities. Mr. Raymond Weber, Head of the Medium- and Long-Term Development Perspectives Unit, discussed with members of ECOWAS’ editorial team the preparation of a joint workshop of the ECOWAS/SWAC Annual Report 2007 on “Resources for Development in West Africa” (see upcoming events). Ms. Julia Wanjiru, SWAC Web & IT Co-ordinator, presented a proposal for an initial outline of the joint ECOWAS/SWAC “Information Portal on West Africa” to the ECOWAS’ Communications and Community Computer Centre (CCC) teams. The brainstorming sessions and sharing of ideas helped actualize the planning and implementation of these joint initiatives.

Brussels (Belgium), 27-30 November 2007

At the 23rd annual meeting of the Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA), co-organised by the CILSS and the SWAC, participants reviewed the food, nutritional and agricultural situation for the 2007/2008 campaign. In light of these analyses, adequate measures were taken in particular for vulnerable populations in identified at-risk zones. The meeting also offered an opportunity to deepen debate on several specific topics linked to food security in the region. > learn more

Facilitating a Common Agricultural Policy

“Regional Programme for Agricultural Investment” (PRIA) Meeting
Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), 2-3 November 2007

Following the PRIA launching workshop held in Cotonou (Benin) in August 2007, the ECOWAS Commission invited the Co-ordinators of the five priority areas to a second meeting aiming to take stock of the planning and implementation process. The SWAC, represented by Mr. Sibiri Jean Zoundi, is responsible for the co-ordination of the priority area “Improved management of the other shared natural resources” and jointly with the CILSS for “Food crises and other disasters prevention”. Due to lack of financial resources, the PRIA conception phase has been delayed. Participants agreed to finalise their proposals for work programmes by mid-November; the ECOWAS Commission will analyse these proposals by the end of November and enter into contract with each co-ordinator. The conception phase should now be completed by the end of March 2008.

ECOWAS Ministerial Meeting of the Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Supply
Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), 8 November 2007

At the ECOWAS Ministerial Meeting, agricultural ministers approved the establishment of a regional committee to oversee the implementation of regulations regarding the production, importation and marketing of pesticides in West Africa so as to protect the environment and the population from hazardous chemicals. They also adopted several regulatory frameworks to ensure access to quality seeds by West African farmers, facilitate local production of quality seeds as well as intra-community trading to foster a common market envisaged under the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP). This is a major step in furthering the integration of regional agricultural markets and will contribute to boosting agricultural productivity and competitiveness in the region.

OECD Global Forum on Agriculture

Rome, 12-13 November 2007

This year’s OECD Global Forum on Agriculture focused on “Agricultural Development and Poverty Reduction in Africa”. The World Bank took this opportunity to present key outcomes of its 2008 World Development Report that is focuses on “Agriculture for Development”. Within the context of the meeting, the SWAC representative Mr. Léonidas Hitimana, was able to discuss with several SWAC partners (ROPPA, Rural Hub, UEMOA) the intensifying of joint initiatives, in particular joint work on livestock in West Africa and the regional study on Rural Transformation by 2025. The SWAC also contributed to key messages for the conclusion remarks of the meeting, in collaboration with UEMOA and the Rural Hub.

Climate Change and Development in West Africa

The 2nd European Development Days, held in Lisbon from 7 to 9 November 2007 entitled “Will Climate Change Development?”, provided a forum for debate, discussion and knowledge-sharing regarding the inextricable linkages between climate change and development. In their key messages participants concluded that climate change is no longer a hypothesis but a reality that will disproportionately affect those least responsible for the phenomenon - the poor. The European Commissioner for Development, Mr. Louis Michel, suggested launching a global fund to be financed by the world’s richest countries to fight climate change. The OECD and the SWAC, represented by Mr. Raymond Weber, participated in the roundtable discussions and presented its publications within the Development Village.
The SWAC contributes through its regional analysis to a better understanding of the impact of climate change on the West African region. Following a second mission from 8 to 10 November 2007 to the Regional Agrhymet Centre (CILSS) based in Niamey (Niger), a chapter of the Atlas of Regional Integration in West Africa on “Climate and Climate Change in West Africa” is currently being finalised. A preliminary version will be published in the French journal “Diplomatie” (Special Issue 4).

Contact: christophe.perret@oecd.org

Transhumant Pastoralism and Education

Transhumant pastoralism is important in the Sahel's livestock sector and involves 70-90% of the Sahel’s cattle and 30-40% of its sheep and goats. Despite its importance, it still faces serious obstacles that threaten its potential production. In addition to previous analytical work carried out by the SWAC and its partners on the “Future of Livestock in the Sahel and West Africa”, the SWAC aims to provide concrete support to animal farmers by facilitating their integration into social and economic development processes. During a mission from 8 to 22 November 2007, Ms. Khadidja Salah, SWAC Socio-economist, met with local actors and livestock professionals in Burkina and Niger to collect data and compare the SWAC’s analysis to field realities on the ground. In particular, discussions focused on adaptation strategies for climate change, new production methods to cope with growing demand and increased consumption, intensification of pastoralism and its consequences, and peri-urban animal farming. Ms. Salah also participated in a brainstorming seminar on education in pastoral societies in Dori (Burkina Faso). Traditionally reluctant to so called “modern” schools, the seminar aimed to explore strategies to better integrate nomad children into formal education plans and propose adapted solutions taking into account specific pedagogical and organisational challenges.

Contact: khadidja.salah@oecd.org

WANSED Meeting on Elections in West Africa

Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), 4-7 November 2007

With the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), the West African Network on Security and Democratic Governance (WANSED) organised a regional conference on elections in West Africa. During this three-day meeting, participants focused on the analysis of the electoral year in West Africa, in particular on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire. The Chairman of the National Independent Electoral Commission (CIE) in Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Mambé Beugré, confirmed that the preparation of elections in Côte d’Ivoire has been delayed, in particularly due to the slow progress made in the identification and subscription process of electors for the establishment of election lists. The “audiences foraines” aiming to identify qualified electors who are not yet registered as Ivorian citizens, were re-launched in several regions of Côte d’Ivoire. In the meantime, the date of the presidential and legislative elections in Côte d’Ivoire was officially postponed to the end of June 2008. Mr. Koffi Paul, Director of Prime Minister Guillaume Soro’s Cabinet, highlighted remaining challenges of the DDR programmes since the Ouagadougou Agreement. The Integrated Command Centre (CCI) is now in charge of disarmament, replacing the National DDR Pogramme. Mr. Francis Oke, ECOWAS Representative in charge of the Electoral Assistance Unit, presented the ECOWAS Election Monitoring Guidelines. ECOWAS aims to link up the Electoral Commissions of all ECOWAS member countries and strengthen its collaboration with civil society organisations. During an internal work session, participants discussed the modalities for setting up a WANSED office. Dr. Istifanus Zabadi, National Defence College and Mr. Massaër Diallo, SWAC, were appointed as network coordinators.

Contact: massaer.diallo@oecd.org

Briefing on SWAC Work on Migration

SWAC Headquarters, Issy-les-Moulineaux/Paris, 15 November 2007

At the initiative of the SWAC President, Mr. Charles Goerens, a group of eight journalists and four representatives of the Association of Support for the Immigrant Workers (ASTI) from Luxembourg was invited to attend a briefing session on the SWAC’s work on migration. Following an introduction by Mr. Goerens and two short interventions by Mr. Lauzon and Mr. Weber, the SWAC Deputy Director, Mr. Laurent Bossard, outlined the SWAC’s analysis of migration issues in West Africa. Migration within the region represents approximately 90% of total migration in West Africa. This intra-regional migration is at least seven times greater than migration flows to Europe. West Africa appears to be a very diverse and culturally mixed region. Following various analyses on migration issues, also published within the framework of the Atlas, the SWAC collaborates with the Dakar Research Institute for Development (IDR-Dakar) and other partners to set up a regional database on migration. This work also contributed to feed information into the strategic thinking process on a common ECOWAS approach. Discussions continued during a joint lunch, kindly offered by Mr. Georges Sauter, Ambassador of Luxembourg to France and to the OECD.

Contacts: raymond.weber@oecd.org and laurent.bossard@oecd.org