Ghana, Burkina Faso new agreement to strengthen border cooperation

The three-day meeting in Accra seeks to transform the shared boundary into a frontier of stability and prosperity.

Ghana and Burkina Faso are set to strengthen their bilateral cooperation through the validation of new framework agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for their shared international land boundary.

The process, led by the Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC), brought together stakeholders from both countries to finalise legal instruments for joint border management.

Commissioner-General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Brigadier General Anthony Ntem, said the exercise goes beyond technicalities, underscoring that “our borders are not just lines of division but bridges that connect communities, stimulate trade, and promote security.” He emphasised that the validation of the legal texts would enhance effective cross-border collaboration.

Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, highlighted the deep historical ties between Ghana and Burkina Faso, stressing that the border should not be viewed as a separation. “This meeting represents an affirmation of our shared commitment to transform that common space into a true frontier of cooperation, stability, and prosperity,” he said, while commending GIZ for its technical and financial support.

Representing Burkina Faso, Yvette Nacoula Sanou Massadalo, Governor of the Nazinon Region, described the agreements as crucial for addressing complex cross-border challenges. “Our main mission is to provide, at the end of this historic meeting, a relevant, adapted, and pragmatic legal framework that will translate our concerted decisions into concrete and tangible action on the ground,” she explained.

The GIZ-AUBP West Africa Regional Coordinator, Mamoudou Tapily, reiterated that cross-border cooperation is now an essential strategy for conflict prevention, good governance, and economic development. “Cross-border cooperation is no longer a mere necessity. It is an essential strategy to face common challenges,” he noted.

The finalisation of the agreements marks a significant milestone in transforming the 583-kilometre Ghana-Burkina Faso border into a zone of cooperation, stability, and prosperity.