African Union (AU) Convention on cross-border cooperation
6yrs after, Nigeria ratifies AU convention on cross border cooperation
Nigeria has deposited its instrument of ratification for the African Union (AU) Convention on cross-border cooperation, six years after it initially signed the agreement on January 2017.
Director-General, National Boundary Commission (NBC) Mr Adamu Adaji, made this known in a statement signed by the commission’s Head of Information Unit, Mrs Efe Ovuakporie, Thursday, in Abuja.
Adaji said that the instrument was deposited at the African Union Commission (AUC) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“With this deposition, Nigeria has become the 9th country to have ratified and deposited the Niamey Convention at the African Union Commission Headquarters.
“Aside Nigeria, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo have already deposited their instruments of ratification at the AU Headquarters.
He explained that the convention, otherwise known as the Niamey Convention, has a strong commitment by member states towards the promotion of cross-border cooperation for sustainable development of the African continent.
According to him, the convention is aimed at ushering in a regime of peaceful resolution of border disputes between member states.
“It also intended to promote peace and stability through the prevention of conflicts, the integration of the continent and the deepening of unity amongst member states.
“It equally provides an opportunity to share intelligence amongst member states.”
The DG recalled that Nigeria played a pivotal role in the conceptualisation of the African Union Border Programme, adding that the country was equally strategic to the process that produced the convention during the conference of African ministers in charge of borders on May 29, 2012, in Niamey, Niger Republic.
He argued that the convention would no doubt pave the way for cross-border cooperation at the local, sub-regional and regional levels.
He added that it would equally ensure effective and integrated border management to promote growth, socio-economic and political integration of the continent.
The African Union Border Programme aims for structural prevention of conflicts.
Nigeria signed the convention in 2017 on the sideline of the 28th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.
The Niamey Convention, which was adopted in 2014, is to promote Cross Border Corporation at local, sub-regional and regional levels with the aim of ensuring peaceful resolution of border disputes, as well as to ensure efficient and effective border management.
