Table of Contents

  • The Club

    The Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC) is an international platform for policy dialogue and analysis devoted to regional issues in West Africa. Its mission is to enhance the effectiveness of regional action in the common and interdependent area composed of the 17 countries of ECOWAS, UEMOA and CILSS. Created in 1976, it is the only international entity entirely dedicated to regional co-operation in Africa.

  • Preface

    Cross-border co-operation in various forms has been actively pursued in West African border areas for many years. Often transcending regional legislations and administrative constraints, it is driven by a variety of actors ranging from nongovernmental organisations to government institutions, to regional and international organisations, including the SWAC Secretariat, one of the pioneers of implementing cross-border co-operation policy in West Africa.

  • Foreword and acknowledgements

    This publication reflects the priorities of the regional organisations that are members of the Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC), namely the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), and thus also contributes to the objectives set out in the OECD Programme of Work and Budget.

  • Abbreviations and acronyms

  • Summary

    West Africa’s population continues to grow at one of the fastest rates of any region worldwide, having been forecast to expand from 367 million in 2015 to 538 million by 2030. This growth in population will inevitably increase population density in the region, naturally raising the number of cross-border interactions. These interactions become increasingly imperative if the region is to take advantage of the economic opportunities presented by its growing markets and demographic dividend, but are equally critical in countering the challenges including those posed by armed groups, climate change and illegal trade. Indeed, the Ebola epidemic of 2013–15 illustrated the crucial role of cross-border co operation when faced with challenges that know no boundary constructs.