Conclave meets to promote the synergy of actions in the Sahel and West Africa

Stakeholders annual meeting of the Sub-Regional Coordination Mechanism (SRCM) on the United Nations and Inter-governmental Organisations on Sahel and West Africa kicks off in Dakar, Senegal.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its West African Sub-regional Office, is organising the meeting alongside the United Nations System agencies and programmes, as well as Regional Economic Communities, according to its release copied to the Ghana News Agency.

It said the goal of this meeting, which is taking place in a context marked by increased efforts from the UN system for the Sahel, is to promote greater synergy and greater effectiveness in interventions, particularly in the Sahel, through the implementation, where possible, of shared and joint programmes or projects, to support existing intergovernmental organizations in West Africa.

According to the Acting Director of the ECA Sub-Regional Office for West Africa, Mr Bakary Dosso: “Coordination is one of the major challenges identified in the implementation of the United Nations Support Plan for the Sahel. As such, we are convinced that the Sub-regional Coordination Mechanism for West Africa still has a major role to play as an instrument to facilitate cooperation within the United Nations System, as well as between the United Nations System and regional and national development stakeholders.”

Held under the theme “Mobilising Efforts to Make the Sahel a Driving Force for Development in West Africa, this meeting will enable participants to be informed on current and future United Nations interventions under the Support Plan in the Sahel and also allow them to present the activities they are carrying out in the Sahel.

This meeting will entail providing all regional actors with a platform for exchange, which is expected to facilitate synergy in their future interventions.

The SRCM will also give the United Nations the opportunity to share with several stakeholders results from works recently carried out under the framework of support to the Sahel.

It said this meeting, which is taking place in plenary sessions over two days, will be attended by United Nations agencies and programmes, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary Community (UEMOA), the Mano River Union, the Liptako Gourma Authority (ALG) and other intergovernmental organizations involved in support activities for the Sahel region.

The sub-regional offices of the Africa Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank have also been invited to the SRCM.