African countries are to strengthen their cross-border cooperation, similar to the one practiced in the sub-region of West African, according to news reaching here on Thursday from Mali's capital city Bamako.

An African meeting on cross-border cooperation opened in Bamako on Thursday morning, under the auspices of the African Union (AU) Commission, with the collaboration of Sahel and West Africa Club, according to Malian Press and Publicity Agency.

The two-day meeting marks the beginning of a process leading to the ministerial conference which is scheduled to take place in May in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

On this occasion, participants from several African countries, African political organizations and financial institutions, as well as those from the United Nation's Development Program will examine all aspects of the AU Commission's program on African borders.

The AU program, which is inspired by the current cross-border cooperation in West Africa, aims at creating development and cooperation zones, strengthening cross-border cooperation and harmonizing the integration policies.

Source: Xinhua