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> SWAC Strategy and Policy Group Meeting
> 24th Annual RPCA Meeting
> European Development Days
> 2nd Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development
> ECOWAS Development Partners Co-ordination Meeting
> Technical Work Session on the Setting-up of the West Africa Gateway
> Forum on Financing Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa
> West Africa Regional Atlas
> Livestock and the Regional Market in the Sahel and West Africa
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| DIRECTOR'S EDITORIAL
The 2nd Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development did not give much attention on the regional dimension of African migration. Should it again be brought to mind that most West African migration is indeed intra-regional as well as the fact that intra-regional fluidity contributes to reducing migratory pressure on ECOWAS’ external borders? Without a doubt! The SWAC will continue to monitor regional dynamics and changes in West Africa. This is essential for policy dialogue and the implementation of West African regional policies. > read on
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SWAC STRATEGY AND POLICY GROUP MEETING
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OECD Headquarters, 4-5 December 2008
This Strategy and Policy Group Meeting (SPG) examined the SWAC's work conducted in 2008 and presented the proposed Work Programme for 2009. It also focused on the SWAC's role, the context in which it is working, the SWAC's financial situation and the way forward.
>> learn more |
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24TH ANNUAL RPCA MEETING
Dakar (Senegal), 25-28 November 2008
The 24th annual Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA) Meeting focused on the market’s role and its importance in the promotion of food security in the Sahel and West Africa. Network members also exchanged on the agricultural, food and nutritional situation for the 2008/09 campaign aiming to formulate policy recommendations and thereby facilitate decision-making. > learn more
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EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT DAYS
Strasbourg (France), 15-17 November 2008
At the third edition of the European Development Days, organised by the European Commission, members of the OECD’s Development Cluster (APF, DCD, DEV and SWAC) presented their products and activities at the OECD stand that was set up in the “Development Village.” Each year the Forum brings together some 3000 participants from all of the continents representing more than 1200 development organisations. This year debates focused on the local dimension of development co-operation and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular.
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Mr. Massaër Diallo, Head of the SWAC’s Governance, Conflict Dynamics, Peace and Security Unit participated as speaker in the discussion panel on “Democratic Governance: a new paradigm for development?", coordinated by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. He is the author of the chapter on “Sustainable Response to Crises – the Role of Democratic Governance”. > learn more
> download Mr. Diallo's article (French)
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2ND EURO-AFRICAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Paris (France), 25 November 2008
Two years after the approval of the Rabat Action Plan (July 2006), the European Council adopted on 16 October 2008 an European Pact on Migration and Asylum. The 2nd Euro-African Ministerial Conference adopted a 2009-2011 tri-annual Co-operation Programme which focuses on the three priority themes of the Rabat Action Plan: 1) Combating illegal migration; 2) organisation legal migration; and 3) strengthening links between migration and development. The discussions at this Conference underscored that the European Pact is still sometimes misunderstood and poorly perceived by Africans. Therefore it is important to strengthen dialogue between areas of transit, host and departure. The analysis of the regional stakes of West African migration carried out by the SWAC, opens up new areas for strategic thinking and action which could feed into national policies and strategies. > learn more
ECOWAS DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS CO-ORDINATION MEETING
Abuja (Nigeria), 24-25 November 2008
As every year, the SWAC Secretariat, represented by its Director Mr. Normand Lauzon, participated in the Annual ECOWAS Development Partners Co-ordination Meeting. This annual meeting aims to improve coherence between many of the donor-supported projects and initiatives.
Contact: normand.lauzon@oecd.org
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TECHNICAL MEETING ON THE SETTING-UP OF THE WEST AFRICA INFORMATION GATEWAY
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The SWAC Secretariat (Mr. Normand Lauzon and Ms. Julia Wanjiru) met with the ECOWAS Community Computer Centre team (Marcel Boussou, Paul Kpognon and Elly Wotoko) to discuss technical aspects of the setting up of the Information Gateway on West Africa, a joint ECOWAS/SWAC project. This tool will provide a detailed description of the region, country profiles with a regional perspective, thematic issues, a calendar of events and many other services.
Contact: julia.wanjiru@oecd.org
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FORUM ON FINANCING AGRICULTURE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Paris (France), 8-9 December 2008
At the initiative of the French Secretary of State responsible for Co-operation and Francophonie, in partnership with the French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, European Ministries of Cooperation and Ministries of Finance and Agriculture of sub-Saharan African countries as well as international and African organisations (AfDB, ECOWAS, FAO, IFAD, etc.) were invited to participate in this Conference. After the opening speech, Mr. Normand Lauzon, SWAC Director, presented a series of maps illustrating the issues linked to investment and infrastructure for agricultural development in Africa. The Conference covered a wide-range of issues: irrigation, public-private partnerships, marketing infrastructure, public policies, etc. The European Union confirmed that it would allocate an additional one billion Euros for the 2008-2010 period for agricultural producers in developing countries, and notably to Africa. Discussions between ECOWAS and its financial partners on the second day of the Conference focused on the implementation of the ECOWAS Common Agricultural Policy. > learn more
>> download the SWAC's Presentation (French)
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WEST AFRICA REGIONAL ATLAS
West African Studies
This Atlas is both the driver and result of strategic thinking on regional integration in West Africa. With maps, statistics and analyses, it describes West Africa, its population, its settlement, the territories, economy and its vulnerabilities. It sets out the progress made and the adaptation dynamics to an ever-evolving global context. The Atlas identifies the medium- and long-term trends and develops prospective strategic thinking.
>> Consult the Atlas chapters online |
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LIVESTOCK AND THE REGIONAL MARKET IN THE SAHEL AND WEST AFRICA
Potentials and Challenges
Conducted within the framework of the Initiative on “Potentials and Challenges for Strengthening the Regional Market”, this ECOWAS/SWAC study analyses the future of the livestock sector and its contribution to the regional economy.
It identifies ways and means of enabling the livestock sector to play its role effectively as an engine of economic development in the individual countries and take part in the process of regional economic integration. Drawing on outcomes of this study, the SWAC developed a series of policy notes on the future of livestock.
>> learn more
>> download the study |
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