Nigeria has reaffirmed the critical role of cross-border cooperation in tackling terrorism, transboundary crimes and deepening regional integration across West Africa.

This position was presented by the Director-General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), Adamu  Adaji, represented by the Head of Cross Border Cooperation, Farouk Tarfa, during the Annual Regional Stakeholders Meeting on ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation held in Abuja yesterday.

The regional meeting, hosted by the Economic Community of West African States, brought together delegates from Nigeria, Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo to deliberate on strategies for strengthening cross-border cooperation and regional integration in the West African sub-region.

Speaking during a plenary session, Dr. Tarfa disclosed that Nigeria was the first country in the region to establish the ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation Programme, stressing that the initiative has become vital in addressing growing border security threats and fostering social cohesion among border communities.

According to him, the programme leverages the shared socio-cultural identities of border communities to drive the ECOWAS integration agenda and facilitate the transition from a “Community of States” to a “Community of People.”

He explained that the initiative supports joint development and utilisation of transboundary resources, integrated health management systems against transboundary diseases, resource pooling for strategic services and information sharing among member states.

Tarfa added that the programme also creates opportunities for coordinated security operations capable of guaranteeing peace, stability and economic growth across border regions.

“This Programme also provides opportunities for joint security operations capable of guaranteeing peace, security and stability within border areas, thereby facilitating growth and development across the region,” he stated.

The meeting further reviewed the implementation of ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation Programmes across member states and adopted fresh joint initiatives aimed at boosting regional peace, security and integration.

The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government had adopted the Cross Border Cooperation framework in January 2006 as part of broader regional integration mechanisms.

The head of  Information, Press and public relations of commission,  Chinwe Udouwem, in statement on thursday this said the regional cooperation
Led  to the eventual establishment of the ECOWAS cross border cooperation programme by ministers in charge of border issues.