West African countries are divided by no less than 32 000 km of terrestrial borders, almost enough to go around the earth if placed end-to-end. Long seen as artificial barriers, these borders are now increasingly regarded as resources for regional integration due to the vibrant social, economic and cultural activities that take place in West African borderlands. African states and intergovernmental organisations have, for a few years now, recognised the potential of such borderlands for regional integration. The African Union Border Programme, for example, strongly encourages the development of cross-border integration dynamics supported by local stakeholders, and facilitates co-operation between states, regions and municipalities separated by national borders.
But where exactly should cross-border co-operation take place? Should cross-border initiatives be intensified anywhere in West Africa as long as the stakeholders agree to work together? Or should cross-border co-operation target certain regions that would potentially be favourable for the development of joint initiatives? One of the aims of the ongoing 2015-16 West African Perspectives programme of the Sahel and West Africa Club at the OECD is precisely to tackle this issue. Combining cartography and social network analysis, we study to what extent the existence of social, economic and political disparities constitutes a source of synergies for cross-border co-operation in the region, or, on the contrary, a barrier to joint institutional initiatives. Our assumption is that the 153 regions divided by a terrestrial border in West Africa widely differ in terms of political systems and socio-economic development. This heterogeneity, we argue, affects their ability to engage in cross-border co-operation.
Published by European Centre for Development Policy Management
2015, English
Find publication here: https://ecdpm.org/great-insights/sustainable-value-chains/mapping-the-potential-of-cross-border-cooperation-in-west-africa/
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