Over the years, ECOWAS Member States have initiated policies and legal frameworks to address migration management, border delimitation, security, and development of border regions. Many countries have established or strengthened National Boundary Commissions with border governance responsibilities. However, there is a real challenge in terms of strengthening synergies, the articulation of scale between actors and the coordination of cross-border initiatives, a role that ECOWAS can validly play. It is against this background that the Directorate of Free Movement of Persons of the ECOWAS Commission organised the inaugural meeting of Heads of National Boundary Commissions from 9 to 11 July 2024 in Accra, Ghana.

The main objective of the meeting was to agree on the establishment of a coordination mechanism between national and regional actors for a better articulation of the implementation of border governance strategies within the ECOWAS region.

Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana was the Guest of Honour. In declaring the inaugural meeting of Heads of National Boundary Commissions opened, Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana stressed: “there is the need to create an enabling environment and to synchronise regional boundary management to ensure best practices, enjoy the benefits of shared boundary and tackle cross-border challenges”. She encouraged leaders of boundary management to ensure continuous support and realisations of an integrated Africa and enjoined delegates to actively participate in the meeting and harness their expertise towards fruitful deliberations and the overall objective of the meeting.

Other speakers included Major General Emmanuel W. Kotia, Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Surveyor Adamu Adaji, Director General of the National Boundary Commission of Nigeria, who was the chair of the meeting, Ambassador Mouktar Osman Karie, AU Representative, Mr. Eric Kondia, the UEMOA Representative and Mr Albert Siaw-Boateng, the Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration of ECOWAS.

The Director of Free Movement, Mr Albert Siaw-Boateng, speaking on behalf of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs Massandje Toure-Litse, noted “the institutionalisation of the meeting of the Heads of Boundary Commission is the first of its kind and is aimed at the integration of border governance and management, an instrument on socioeconomic integration, the ambition of ECOWAS since its creation in 1975”.

He said that the concept of border government and management is part of the integration of West Africa, and that the cross-border initiatives programme was created in 2006; and the Accra meeting was to take stock of existing border governance and management programmes and the scope of their interventions.

This inaugural meeting of the Heads of the National Boundary Commissions was to develop an intervention strategy between the ECOWAS Commission and the Member States with the aim of harmonizing border governance and management in West Africa.

At the end of the meeting, specific recommendations were formulated for regional and continental bodies such as ECOWAS, WAEMU, and the AU, as well as at the national level.

At the regional and continental levels, it was recommended to institutionalize the annual meeting of the Heads of National Boundary Commissions as a framework for exchanging, harmonizing, and sharing border governance policies and experiences, considering both internal and external borders.

At the national level, Member States were encouraged to develop and strengthen bilateral and multilateral exchange frameworks between national and local cross-border cooperation structures to enhance the monitoring of local cross-border cooperation initiatives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has presided over the oath-taking ceremony of the new Secretary to the President, Dr Emmanuel Gaima, expressing hope and confidence that he will bring his extensive expertise on matters of governance to bear on the tasks and demands of his new role.

He also bade farewell to the outgoing Secretary to the President, Dr Julius Sandy, and thanked him for his years of invaluable service and support to the presidency and wished him well in his new assignment as the country’s High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

President Bio acknowledged that the office of the Secretary to the President was no mean task although the buck would always stop with him as the head of state, emphasising that the work with the President was a huge undertaking and a weighty task that required a lot of attitudes.

The President called on Dr Gaima to be aware of the fact that there was a lot to learn from his predecessor, expressing his eagerness for a seamless synergy between the former and present secretaries.

He also assured his new aide of his presidential support to work and to have a conducive working environment, while wishing him well during his tenure. He reminded him that he was an adviser and that if he did his job well, he would remain a standout. He congratulated Dr Sandy for being a pillar of support for his administration, even before he came into office.

“Don’t hesitate to call me. We would have missed you dearly. I know you will be proud of what we are doing, and I have confidence that you will always call back when things are not going well. Thanks. I wish you well. You are not going to retire. Thanks for everything, and I so appreciate you for everything,” President Bio said to the former Secretary to the President.

In his remarks, Secretary to the President, Dr Emmanuel Gaima, thanked President Bio for making him, his family, and his career so significant in five short years, from his former role as Presidential Governance Adviser to his recent appointment as Secretary to the President.

He also thanked the President for the opportunity to serve in the present capacity, pointing out that, on behalf of his family, friends, people, and in-laws, he was sincerely grateful to the President.

He said he was aware of the challenges in the office of the Secretary to the President but assured the President and the gathering that based on his experience at State House in the last five years and God be his helper, he was optimistic that he would make his own contributions to serve judiciously.

Dr Gaima also assured President Bio of his commitment to continuity and to focusing on delivery, reaffirming that his decision would be to position himself not in the administration but with a technographic personality that would bridge the gap between administration and delivery.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Sierra Leone.

The President of Republic of Seychelles, Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan, conveyed his congratulations to H.E. Paul Kagame on his successful re-election as the President of the Republic of Rwanda.

In his message, President Ramkalawan, stated:

“I am pleased to extend my heartfelt congratulations on your re-election as President of the Republic of Rwanda.

Your re-election to this high office is a testament to your leadership acumen and reflects the continued trust that the people of Rwanda have in your vision for a prosperous and united Rwanda. I am confident that under your stewardship, Rwanda will make further progress in achieving sustainable development, social justice, and economic growth.

Seychelles and Rwanda share strong and dynamic relations, which were further solidified during your visit in June 2023. I remain committed to our common objectives of further strengthening our bilateral ties and working together to intensify our cooperation for the mutual benefit of both our countries and peoples.

I am very much looking forward to continuing our collaborative efforts at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism – Foreign Affairs Department, Republic of Seychelles.

Africa Oil Week (AOW) – an Africa-hosted oil and gas conference – will be acquired by Sankofa Events, a London startup created in July 2024, led by Paul Sinclair – former Government Relations Executive of Africa Oil Week. Aimed at transforming the event, the acquisition will see the conference take a new direction as it continues to promote investment and development across the African energy sector. Representing the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) views this strategic acquisition as a critical step towards creating more inclusive dialogue regarding African energy matters. Under new ownership, AOW has the chance to redefine itself as an event that is not only African-based but African-driven.   

For over 25 years, AOW has held an annual event in South Africa centered around supporting investment in African oil and gas projects. While the event has played a role in facilitating dialogue between African and global stakeholders, the decision to move the event to Dubai following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 brought to attention the lack of respect for the continent. While Africa – specifically South Africa – was well-equipped and fully capable of hosting an international conference in a safe and productive manner, the decision to take the conversation about African energy out of the continent effectively silenced and marginalized African voices. This was especially devastating given the fact that at a time when Africa most-needed investment, it was left out of the discussion.

The repercussions of AOW’s decision were far-reaching and damaging. It perpetuated the notion that African issues are better addressed outside of Africa, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and power dynamics. Moreover, it deprived African energy professionals, entrepreneurs, key players, policymakers and African citizens of a critical platform to drive progress. By prioritizing convenience and profit over principle and solidarity, AOW betrayed its commitment to Africa’s energy development. Despite the focus on many African countries and their potential in energy, most were unable to travel to the event due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions. As such, the move to Dubai was a painful reminder of the industry’s historical exploitation and neglect of African interests.

“To achieve its goals of becoming an electrified and industrialized economy, Africa needs collaboration, unity and partnerships. The decision to move AOW to foreign soil directly opposed all of these aspects. Sankofa Events has a unique and strategic opportunity to turn this conference around, addressing polarization and divisions perpetuated by previous ownership,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.  

Now, Sankofa Events – through its acquisition of AOW – aims to address this unjust decision head-on by transforming the event into an African-led platform. The acquisition not only creates the opportunity for a change in ownership but the introduction of fresh perspectives that align closely with Africa’s goals as a continent. Led by an African startup, AOW has the chance to redefine its narrative and play a more central role in driving impactful change in Africa.

“As a leading advocate for Africa’s energy development, the AEC looks forward to working with Sankofa Events to promote the continent’s energy potential, foster economic growth and enhance cooperation among African energy stakeholders. We believe that this new chapter for AOW will contribute to a more unified and prosperous energy community in Africa,” added Ayuk.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.