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[accordion-item title=”Vision” state=open]
The Mano River Union Secretariat should be a well-structured, fully staffed and dynamic, highly motivated, result-oriented and an exemplary institution geared towards integrating the foreign policies and economics of Member States in response to the political will on their part and, to making significant contributions in maintaining peace and stability in the Sub-regional development programmers for its Member States ensuring that their citizens experience higher standards of living with each passing year.
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[accordion-item title=”Mission”]
The Mano River Union Secretariat is committed to the implementation of the Union’s policies towards the achievement of the goals and objectives of a united and strong MRU by maintaining an effective and efficient institution, promoting political, economic and social ties amongst the Member States and their development partners.
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[accordion-item title=”Objectives”]
The objectives of the Union are:
- The initiation and maintenance of dialogue at all levels between its Member States for the purpose of achieving greater unity and solidarity, and promoting goodwill, neighborliness cooperation, and peaceful co-existence amongst its people, promoting peace, security, democratic principles and popular participation of citizens in the pursuit of good governance.
- Promote regional integration and development though skillful planning and coordination of efforts, to integrate commerce and industry aimed at the creation of employment as well promoting social and cultural affairs.
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[accordion-item title=”Unique Role “]
MRU plays a unique role in the sub-region by focusing on issues that benefit from multi-country cooperation, reflecting interdependencies among countries, especially at cross- border locations. A targeted focus on the sub-region is warranted for several reasons:
- Countries have historical, socio-cultural, and economic ties meaning that many issues overlap;
- Individual country capacities are limited for the range of development priorities;
- Lack of social and economic development in one country Can destabilize the entire sub-region;
- Failure to address security tensions in one country can lead to a wider problem situation; and
- Sustainable management of natural resources requires a transboundary approach.
These points underscore the added value of MRU, particularly considering the development challenges faced by the Member States, which rank in the lowest 15% of 189 countries on UNDP’s 2018 Human Development Index. By combining efforts on select issues through MRU, countries can more efficiently realize key development goals and foster sub-regional integration and stability.
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[accordion-item title=”Work of MRU”]
MRU’s work complements that of Member States and its initiatives generally meet one of the following criteria:
- Transboundary matters, including border communities and shared natural resources
- When specialized expertise help countries advance more rapidly on an issue
- When benefit from cooperation offers an advantage over individual country action
- Where policy harmonization avoids situations of disparity and unfair competition
- When demand-driven programs arise from current socio-economic conditions
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[accordion-item title=”MRU 4C Model “]
The 4C Model explains how MRU works.
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