Mr Justin Bayili, Executive Secretary SUMMARY OF THE 2017 BORDERLESS RECOMMENDATIONS & 2017 MAIN ACTIVITIES @ Mr Justin Bayili, Executive Secretary Bamako, 10 May 2018

CONTENTS Introduction 2- 2017 MAIN ACTIVITIES Conclusion 1- IMPLEMENTATION OF 2017 BORDERLESS RECOMMANDATIONS 2- 2017 MAIN ACTIVITIES Advocacy Trade information Road and transport governance Membership Partnerships (Donors and regional communities) 2018-2019 perspectives Conclusion

SUMMARY OF THE 2017 Conference

INTRODUCTION Reminder of the MAIN Recommendations of the 2017 conference Establishment of border information centers in all West African countries, including ports; Improvement of the development of statistical data on transparency at the border level that will make it possible to analyze the real causes of the observed bad practices noted; Advocacy with States to reduce costs and delays of road transit;

Reminder of the 2017 conference MAIN Recommendations (cont’ed) Identification of the role of each actor and involvement in the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. Support to States and private organizations in the implementation of Community texts and the facilitation of regional trade; Elimination of barriers to the free movement of approved products and optimal implementation of regional measures like the TLS.

1-IMPLEMENTATION OF recommendations Establishment of border information centers in all West African countries, including ports 1 new Border Information Center was opened at Niangoloko on December 5th 2017.

Improvement of the development of statistical data on transparency at the border level that will make it possible to analyze the real causes of the observed bad practices noted; Survey on the crossing time of 10 borders in West Africa 2 surveys on specific problems facing women traders in the Abidjan-Lagos corridor and in Senegambia with the cooperation of WILDAF and WAWA

Advocacy with States to reduce costs and delays of road transit; With the National Committees, the Borderless Alliance worked and reminded the administration of the customs formalities related to the facilitation of intra-community trade; The Alliance made a special commitment to the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (TLS) Task Force with a view to boosting the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization, by providing the necessary support during country visits.

Identification of the role of each actor and involvement in the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. Sikasso Road show of 22 and 23 March 2017 with 85 participants coming from the Korogho (Côte d’Ivoire), Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) and Sikasso (Mali); Katsina Road Show attended by 256 participants including 61 from the regions of Zinder, Tahoua and Maradi in Niger and 178 from Sotoko, Kano and Jigawa in Nigeria.

Support to States and private organizations in the implementation of Community texts and the facilitation of regional trade; 497 private and public actors were sensitized on ECOWAS regulatory texts at borders during ten (10) training and awareness raising workshops. 55 ECOWAS and UEMOA regulatory texts on regional trade were identified and rewritten in easy language, as a compendium of regulatory texts available on www.borderlesswa.com and on the websites of partner organizations.

Elimination of barriers to the free movement of approved products and optimal implementation of regional measures like the TLS. Monitoring the movements of trucks and the nature of goods transported across seven borders where there are Border Information Centers; Assistance provided at borders by Borderless Alliance Trade Advisers through Border Information Centers

Ref: OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES (Conference brochure page 5 and 6) 2- 2017 MAIN ACTIVITIES Ref: OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES (Conference brochure page 5 and 6)

RECENTS ACHIEVEM ADVOCACY Advocacy for the elimination of trade barriers in West Africa in general and Ghana, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Niger in particular. - DEVELOPPEMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF TRADE INFORMATION • 55 ECOWAS and UEMOA regulatory texts on regional trade were disseminated; Information on the quantity of goods and number of trucks; •113 private actors were assisted by advisors of Border Information Centers.

ROAD AND TRANSPORT GOVERNANCE During the year under review, Borderless Alliance conducted ten (10) major activities aimed at improving road governance and thus the fluidity of transport to ensure free movement of goods in the corridors of the region. MEMBERSHIP Seven (7) new members joined the Alliance including 4 in Ghana, 2 in Burkina and 1 in Nigeria.

- PARTERSHIPS The following partners worked with us during the year 2017 • Programme Food Across Borders (ProFAB) jointly with USAID and the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (MAECD); • USAID/West Africa ; • German Cooperation/GIZ ; • African Development Bank; • British Cooperation through West Africa Food Market (WAFM) •ECOWAS •UEMOA

- 2018 PERSPECTIVES Advocacy to promote the free movement of persons and goods in the ECOWAS region; Capacity building of trade and transport stakeholders; Opening of two additional BICs by the first quarter of 2018 in Kidira and Diboli (Senegal / Mali) ; Foster relations with regional communities through integrating and/or regional projects; Making Alliance National Committes more dynamic.

Members : Current Membership :101 Target # of Members by end 2017 : 100

MAJOR partnERS

CONCLUSION Due to the reduction of development aid in the world, the Borderless Alliance was able to mobilize during the year 2017 only 51% of the planned resources. In the light of with this situation, it is quite urgent for Borderless Alliance to explore new options that can allow the execution of its activities on the one hand, and ensure the functioning of its Executive Secretariat on the other hand. Face à cette situation, il est plus qu’urgent l’Alliance Borderless explore de nouveaux scénarii pouvant permettre l’exécution des activités de ses activités d’une part, et assurer le fonctionnement de son Secrétariat Exécutif d’autre part.

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