the AUBP implements the African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation (Niamey convention). The GiZ program deploys staff in the EAC and ECOWAS to work on the border program. The border program does not have a specific focus on children, however the growing cooperation with the ACERWC is aimed at, among other things, ensuring the protection of children in the border program. GiZ support program to ECOWAS will have a big program starting next year on migration together with the EU on capacity development on cross border and migration issues. GiZ works with the ECOWAS Commission, however activities will go to the level of Member States. Save the Children international – Best practices from Southern Africa Hakima Haithar, representative of Save the Children International, presented on the best practices in addressing cross-border issues in Southern Africa. It was noted that Southern Africa has various good practices that should be replicated in other parts of the Continent. Sustainability is one of the key things that is needed when implementing a program on cross border issues. The program in Southern Africa has been sustainable for the past ten years. The program works at the levels of Governments, civil society and community. Another ongoing mechanism, which can be taken as a good practice, is putting together standard operation procedures between various countries to protect children who move among these countries. The standard has been put in place in few countries and efforts are ongoing to ensure standards are set for all countries in the region. Another issue is access to services, some children move to access services, where the service in question is more accessible across the border than it is within the country, there are mechanisms put in place to ensure safe movement of children to access such services. Additionally, the need for access to documentation is an issue that has emerged and is being tackled. It was noted that one of the cause of trafficking is misconception about life on the other side of the border. Community awareness has been used in South Africa and Mozambique to reduce trafficking and ensure that communities have the appropriate information in terms of what happens to children when they are trafficked across borders. It was noted that Save the Children is on the process of publishing a learning document entitled ‘ten years of learning’ aimed at sharing information and best practices with other regions. Item 8: Collaboration and action plan on the way forward on protection and promotion of children’s rights in ECOWAS in line with the Charter, ECOWAS Policies and Agenda 2040