BORDERLESS ALLIANCE PRIVATE SECTOR ROLE IN COORDINATED BORDER MANAGEMENT 17 th SEPTEMBER 2019 Afua Eshun – Borderless Alliance
ECOWAS Region in Brief • 15 Member States • 362 million people • $623b Nominal GDP • 8 Different currencies • 2 RECs: ECOWAS & UEMOA • 3 Official languages: English, French and Portuguese West Africa has huge market potential
Doing Business in West Africa is Very Costly • Long delays at ports and borders • Non-recognition of documents or certificates beyond national borders • Harassement along transit corridors, mainly from uniformed services • Cumbersome Procedures • Corruption at various stages of the transport corridors including borders
Impact on Trade and Transport in West Africa • Lack of predictability of time or cost, especially for transit cargo • Non application of texts/directives of the two RECs (CEDEAO & UEMOA) on the principle of free movement of goods and people, ETLS, etc. • Low level of economic integration within the region: intra- regional trade levels in Europe 71%, Asia 53%, South America 48%, ECOWAS 10% (Other African RECs between 3.5% & 20.5%)
Unpredictability in Border Crossing Times Source : ALCO Report
KEY ISSUES NOTED ( ALCO) + _ • Quality of Internet • Suspension of Physical Connection Examination - (New Scanner – Seme) • Process Changes • Commissioning of JBP • Power Cuts
THE QUESTION : HOW CAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRIBUTE TO COORDINATED BORDER MANAGEMENT ? WHAT WE DO AS BORDERLESS ALLIANCE
• Borderless was launched as a brand for the USAID/West Africa Trade Hub’s Transport and Road Governance work in March 2010 • Later evolved into a private sector-led advocacy group; in May 2011, the Borderless Alliance was born. The alliance was formally launched in May 2012 • Headed in Accra, Ghana, with more than 100 members from all across West Africa (Port Authorities, Finance Institutions, Transport Companies, Manufacturers, Producers etc.)
Simple Mechanism of Action • Evaluate situation by look at evidence base (technical reports, observations in the field) • Identify problem and suggest a line of action • Initiate action (high-level advocacy meeting, technical workshop, capacity- building activity, public-private dialogue…) • Follow up on impact of initiated action
Broad Range of Activities – General • Information Dissemination on Trade and Transport • Capacity Building (Training Workshops, Seminars) on CET, ETLS, TFA & more • Advocacy activity (Position Papers, High-Level Meetings, Public/Private Dialogue Sessions, Road Shows, Caravans, Awareness Campaigns) • Piloting of the Online Complaint Portal for Addressing Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade in West Africa (eNTB Portal) • Border Information Centers at selected borders in the region
Information Dissemination
Support at the Border Crossings 4 6 TIMELINE 1. Ghana/Togo (August‘11) 2 2. B. Faso/Ghana (September’12) 7 3. Benin/Nigeria (December‘12) 4. Dakar Port (March‘13) 3 5. Ghana/Cote d’Ivoire (May‘13) 1 6. Senegal/Mali 5 (2016) 7. Cote d’Ivoire/ B. Faso (2016)
Specific Intervention at Borders • Support for Traders and Economic Operators at the Borders; the Border Information Centers (BICs) • Information Dissemination • Technical Support to Cross Border Traders • Training and Capacity building of Stakeholders • Joint/Bilateral Meetings with border communities
JOINT BILATERAL MEETINGS Elubo / Noe (Ghana/Cote d’Ivoire border) Niangoloko / Ouangolodougou (Burkina/Cote d’Ivoire border) Pogo / Zegoua (Cote d’Ivoire Mali border) Seme / Krake (Benin/Nigeria border)
Context : WTO TFA Article 8 - Cooperation and Coordination between Border Agencies : - alignment of working days and hours; - alignment of procedures and formalities; - development and sharing of common facilities; - joint controls; - establishment of one stop border post control
Outcomes ? • Action plans, • Resolutions, • Improved Engagement, • Etc.
Summary: the Borderless Alliance Proposal • Helping reduce cost and time of doing business across West Africa • Enhancing cross-border trade, without compromising to security • Building a win-win partnership between government agencies, decision makers, thought leaders, strategic partners and private enterprises • Creating networking and business opportunities for members • Promoting regional economic integration and the free movement of goods and people, to the benefit of all
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