Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Côte d'Ivoire have convened in Wa for a week-long engagement to strengthen cooperation among communities along their shared borders. The meetings, which began on [DATE MISSING], focus on harmonising and validating legal frameworks for establishing and operating Local Groups for Cross-Border Cooperation (LGCBCs).
Strengthening Border Communities
Representatives from the three countries have converged in Wa for separate bilateral discussions between Ghana and Burkina Faso, and Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. The Deputy Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Frederick Somuah Obeng, said the initiative would establish sustainable local structures to address challenges affecting border communities. These structures would also help improve resilience and promote shared socio-economic development.
The Deputy Commissioner General stressed that the LGCBCs have the potential to become important platforms for identifying common challenges, developing joint solutions, strengthening community resilience, promoting local development, and deepening social cohesion among border communities on both sides of their common boundary. He added that the initiative would provide a platform for local authorities and security agencies on both sides to work together on common challenges and identify opportunities for development.
Concrete and Powerful Institutional Levers
The West Africa Regional Coordinator of the African Union Border Programme Support Project, Mamoudou Tapily, described the proposed LGCBCs as "concrete and powerful institutional levers" that would give neighbouring local authorities the capacity to take direct action. He said the structures would enable communities on both sides to jointly manage challenges arising from their shared geography and history.
The Upper West Regional Minister, who co-chaired the meeting, urged participants to contribute actively to the discussions, describing the validation process as critical to establishing sustainable cross-border cooperation. The Governor of the Djoro Region and leader of the Burkina Faso delegation, Camarade Siaka Baro, also expressed appreciation to the Ghana Boundary Commission and Burkina Faso's National Boundary Secretariat for their continued efforts to strengthen cooperation.
A Boost to Cross-Border Ties
The initiative is expected to strengthen cooperation among Ghanaian, Burkinabe, and Ivorian border communities while contributing to more peaceful, resilient, and prosperous border areas. The meetings are expected to conclude with the validation of draft legal texts governing the LGCBCs. The technical and financial support from GIZ and the African Union Border Programme has been commended by the Deputy Commissioner General.
The validation of the draft legal texts governing the LGCBCs is a crucial step in the process, and it is expected to conclude the week-long engagement. The success of this initiative will likely pave the way for further cooperation among the border communities of Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Côte d'Ivoire.
Source: Joy Online
