Linking borderlands research and policy in Africa and Europe

 

Niamey, Niger, 29 November - 1 December 2017

Hosted at the Laboratory of Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Local Development (LASDEL) in Niamey, this regional conference on cross border co-operation and regional integration covered strategies to address the global migration crisis, increasing securitization of Africa’s borders in the midst of a growing terrorist threat and demands for regional  trade promotion and market development.

 

The conference provided a platform to disseminate key findings from the Sahel and West Africa Club's (SWAC) publication on cross-border co-operation and policy networks resulting from ongoing collaboration between SWAC and the Sahel Research Group of the University of Florida. A joint presentation was made by SWAC, the University of Florida and the University of Niamey on cities and borders in West Africa. 

 

The event which brought together researchers, policy makers and practitioners from across the West Africa region and beyond, attempted to identify commons areas for future collaboration particularly in the area of border management by bridging the gap between research and policy.  

 

The conference was convened by Prof Gregor Dobler (University of Freiburg), Dr Mareike Schomerus (Overseas Development Institute), in collaboration with LASDEL Niamey and Point Sud Bamako.

 

More on the event:

• Agenda
• Presentation on cities and borders in West Africa (SWAC, University of Florida, University of Niamey)
• Presentation on cross-border co-operation in West Africa (SWAC, University of Florida, CILSS, University of Niamey)

 

Related SWAC/OECD work:

• Cities and borders
• Security & development
• Mapping women's trade networks
• Cross-border Co-operation and Policy Networks in West Africa (publication)
• Cross-border co-operation Networks in West Africa (paper)
• The wave of jihadist insurgency in West Africa (paper)
• Agricultural Markets and Boko Haram attacks in northeastern Nigeria (paper)
• Wars and Conflicts in the Sahara-Sahel (paper) 

 

Related links:

• University of Florida Sahel Research Group
• Abdou Moumouni University, Niamey 
• LASDEL (Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Recherches sur les Dynamics Sociales et le Développement Local)
• Point Sud
• ABORNE (African Borderlands Research Network)

 

Contact: Marie Trémolières (marie.tremolieres@oecd.org).