However, participants recognized that sustained efforts must be made in order to effectively realize the commitments in the Abidjan Declaration. They particularly noted the absence of statistics pertaining to stateless people in almost all of the ECOWAS Member States. They also regret the current lack of collaboration between governments and civil society in implementing the Declaration. It is for this reason that the participants make the following recommendations: On the effective implementation of the Abidjan Declaration In reference to commitments 221, 242, and recommendation 293, participants recommend that: 1. States who have not yet done so nominate, and inform through a note verbale sent to ECOWAS and UNHCR by 31st December 2015, a national focal point for statelessness; 2. States take measures, by 31st December 2015, aimed at developing and adopting a national action plan to end statelessness, and to collaborate with UNHCR, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), academics and civil society organizations on the drafting of this plan; 3. States put in place a clear national policy on the eradication of statelessness and a structure tasked with its implementation; 4. States ensure the coordination and synergy between the various State structures tasked with the fight against statelessness; 5. States put in place measures to help finance national structures engaged in the fight against statelessness; 6. ECOWAS and UNHCR draft terms of reference for the national focal points to propose a roadmap for monitoring the implementation of the Abidjan Declaration, and to guide States on the development and content of their national action plans; 7. UNHCR and the Open Society Foundations facilitate in each country forums for dialogue and coordination with civil society on questions of citizenship and 1 We commit to designate Focal Point on statelessness matters and to meet regularly under the auspice of ECOWAS and in collaboration with UNHCR, in order to assess progress in the implementation of the recommendation of this Conference. 2 We undertake to develop and implement national actions plans to end statelessness in accordance with UNHCR’s global campaign to end statelessness within 10 years. 3 Each State should designate a focal point on statelessness to ECOWAS and UNHCR by note verbal. We urge civil society in each State to also designate a coordinator on statelessness. 2