There remains a general feeling of insecurity and fear among residents of border communities, due to local rumours and reports about conflicts and violence in neighboring countries. Also, unsettling residents is climate change, lack of collaboration among local and state institutions, weapons use and control among others.
These have been identified as challenges affecting cross border cooperation and effective management of international boundaries with neighbouring countries. These came up for discussion at a regional stakeholders dialogue on emerging security threats and initiatives towards effective boundary management, being hosted by the Ghana Boundary Commission in Accra.
Well defined international boundaries serve as catalysts for border security, promotion of good governance, good neighbourliness, political stability, integration and development. However, only about one third of Africa’s boundaries has been clearly demarcated and delimited, leading to boundary disputes and other insecurities.
Coupled with the expansion of violent extremist activities in the Sahel, with spillovers to the West African sub-region, it has become necessary to protect security especially in the trio border regions of Ghana, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire.
Hence, over the past 24 months, the boundary commissions of the three countries, non-profits such as North Code Ghana, Indigo from la Côte d’Ivoire, Graine de Paix and AGEREF both of Burkina Faso, as well as Conciliation Resources, an international charity have been finding out emerging boundary related threats, evolving challenges and contemporary developments along the international boundaries.
The two-day Accra regional dialogue, was therefore convened by the Ghana Boundary Commission in partnership with Conciliation Resources, for the teams from each country to present their key findings from the research.
The goal is to deepen understanding of the initiatives and strategies that representing institutions are implementing and explore ways for improved collaboration and synergy between institutions in respective countries in the cross-border regions of Burkina Faso, Ghana, and la Côte d’Ivoire. The session drew about thirty participants from Ghana, Burkina Faso and la Côte d’Ivoire and has funding by Conciliation Resources / Robert Bosch Stiftung Foundation of Germany.
