THE African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) which has been collaborating with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on language matters, has proposed experimentation with three cross-border languages of Fulfulde, Mandekan and Hausa as additional working languages of ECOWAS to fast-track regional integration and development.
This is in conformity with Article 62(c) of the ECOWAS Treaty that mandates promoting the learning and dissemination of a West African
language as a factor in community integration, in addition to the current official working languages of English, French and Portuguese.
Besides, the ad-hoc committee monitoring the implementation of ECOWAS Regional
Culture Development and Integration Programme has recommended that a study on the contributions of culture to the economy of member states and the region be conducted by the end of the first quarter of 2013.
This was one of the key recommendations by the committee at its sixth meeting held from April 16 to 19, 2012 in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
