West Africa

1
West Africa
2
Preliminary Issues

• Need to have Francophone participation.
  Suggestion is to include CSO from Benin.
• These proposals are of a tentative nature. Wider
  inputs required to reflect francophone
  perspectives.

3
Suggested Activities

• Mapping in WA region. Identify CSOs for
  networking and partnerships.
• Research on improving policy engagements with
  regional institutions, e.g. ECOWAS, African
  Commission on Human Rights, Banjul, etc
• Research on budget analysis and monitoring
  initiatives in WA region. How effective in policy
  engagements.
• Exchange visits to SA region food security
  issues in Sahelian areas.

4
Additional Resources

• In-country challenge funds by donors, e.g. DFID,
  DANIDA, CIDA
• Peace and Social Justice Programme of the Ford
  Foundation, WA

5
Important Research Issues

• Monitor the outcomes of the WTO Ministerial
  meeting, Hong Kong, Dec 2005, on WA region.
• Budget analysis and monitoring and its
  effectiveness as a mechanism for policy
  engagement.

6
Maximizing Impact, Capacity

• To develop stronger linkages among CSOs across WA
  region through networks and partnerships.
• Engaging with regional bodies on policy issues.
• More South-South partnerships.
• Networking
• TOTs on policy research and advocacy.

7
Global issues

• Trade, Access to markets, subsidies
• Debt cancellation

8
Information products

• CD Roms
• Policy briefs packaged by CSOs in region with
  CSPP support for policy makers
• Policy briefing meetings by in-country CSOs
• Easily accessible website