Transboundary Cooperation: Experience sharing between LCBC, PROLAC and PRESIBALT
The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of PROLAC-LCBC visited PROLAC Cameroon, based in Kousseri, a border town with N’Djamena, in the Far North region of Cameroon, from 9 to 11 August 2022, for an exchange and experience sharing workshop.
The objective of this maiden visit is to exchange with the PIU of PROLAC Cameroon on “the level of implementation of PIU activities, the regional Knowledge Management platform, the establishment of a network of PROLAC and MCRP experts from Nigeria, scholarship grants, data collection in the basin, and capitalisation of PRESIBALT experiences.”
According to the Technical Director-LCBC, Mr Hycinth Banseka, representing the Executive Secretary, the aim, in the long term, will be to improve the performance of the two PIUs, and LCBC in its role of coordinating regional activities.
At the end of this visit, both parties formulated recommendations, including the signing of an agreement between various universities of the Lake Chad Basin to allow students to work in co-supervision, continue exchanges with the PRESIBALT and capitalisation of its experiences in the sustainability of activities carried out by PROLAC, carry out of thermo-hydro-mechanical studies and consolidate techniques on vertisols to improve the of construction of road infrastructure in the Lake Chad Basin
The World Bank funds PROLAC. The overall objective of the Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project (PROLAC) is to “Contribute to the recovery of the Lake Chad region through supporting regional coordinating and crisis monitoring, connectivity and agricultural livelihoods in selected provinces of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.” A PIU implements the Project under the supervision of the Executive Secretariat of LCBC through the Technical Department.
In a nutshell, PROLAC aims to strengthen the basis for regional cooperation, support concerted investments to improve access to regional markets, promote the development of value chains and boost cross-border and regional trade, etc.