Kofi Ampeah Woode
Boundary Commissions of Burkina Faso, la Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, under the tag ESCO VOLTA NOIRE, have commenced a six-day conference in Accra, Ghana, to strengthen bonds of cooperation, security, and prosperity in the tri-border area that their countries share.
The Extraordinary General Assembly of the ESCO VOLTA NOIRE, sponsored by the Germany’s Gesellschaft fúr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and commencing on Wednesday 30 October 2024, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra, had speakers from all three countries demonstrating a sense of unified purpose, commitment and urgency.
Ms Pauline Okkens – Political Officer at the German Embassy in Accra, representing the German Ambassador, said in her keynote address that, cross-border cooperation, as well as well-defined borders are highly relevant, and act as preventive elements against conflicts.
The German government, she said, through GIZ, supports the African Union Border Program (AUBP), which has been an important tool on fostering cooperation, and enhancing the capacities of the boundary commissions of many African countries.
Major General (Maj Gen) Emmanuel Wekem Kotia (PhD) – Commissioner General, Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC), presenting his welcome address, said the ESCO VOLTA NOIRE has proven to be a vital platform for fostering collaboration between the three countries’ border communities, encouraging peaceful coexistence, and addressing the shared challenges that transcend national boundaries, over the past three years of formation.
Cross-border cooperation is no longer an option, but a necessity in an interconnected world, where borders are not barriers, but gateways to shared growth, development, and security, General Kotia shared.
He however stated that, the increasing challenges related to transnational organized crime, illegal mining, smuggling of goods, and deprivation of border communities, that characterize the international border regions, have slowed down individual efforts at curbing them.
The ESCO BLACK VOLTA, he said, serves as a common platform where members jointly coordinate their efforts in responding appropriately to shared climatic, social, economic, and security problems, through enhanced coordination and communication.
He continued to say that, jointly working together in managing the shared borders, is the most effective way of ensuring that border residents in the respective countries, benefit from the shared socio-economic and socio-political opportunities, such as joint developmental projects, access to new markets, and improved livelihoods through cross-border trade.
Reminding the assembly that African borders are areas of migration and integration, among populations who most often share same language, customs, geographical, socioeconomic and historical realities, he thus said the conference, is not just a symbolic act, but also a practical and necessary step that would deepen the tri-country cooperation, and enhance the impact of their joint efforts.
The conference admitted the Savannah Region of Ghana – a critical player in the socio-economic fabric of the tri-border area of Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana – into the ESCO VOLTA NOIRE, as previously, Ghana’s Upper West Region was the only Region from Ghana on the ESCO VOLTA NOIRE membership.
ESCO VOLTA NOIRE now encompasses Ghana’s Savannah and Upper West Regions, the Bounkani Region of Côte d’Ivoire, and the Sud-Ouest Region of Burkina Faso.
A Representative from the Permanent Secretariat of Burkina Faso’ Boundary Commission – Mrs Djeneba Dicko, said the border communities are faced with many problems, particularly related to security and development, hence the need for the tri-state endeavour to take the necessary measures to improve their living conditions.
She continued to say that the ESCO VOLTA NOIRE initiative, whose goal is to solve the multiple challenges by making resources mutual, in view of the harmonization of development of the common living spaces, also deserves the support of the structures in charge of the borders of the three countries.
As a result, she said, Burkina Faso, in the context of its strategy to manage its borders, has inscribed trans-border cooperation among the priority acts of intervention.
Reassuring members of the framework, of Burkina Faso’s National Border Commission’s unwavering support for the initiative, Mrs Dicko exhorted all actors to engage resolutely in the design and implementation of relevant activities, for the realization of the framework, and the expansion of its beneficiaries.
Taking his turn, the Executive Secretary, National Commission of la Côte d’Ivoire Frontiers (CNFCI) – Mr Diakalidia Konaté, said the transcontinental spaces constitute challenges, but above all, present real opportunities for integration, security, peace and sustainable development of the regions.
Expressing his country’s commitment and support without fail, to accompany mandated teams in their various projects and activities, and to also make available policies and strategies, he counseled those responsible for the three nations’ transcontinental space, to join resolutely in dynamically strengthening the transcontinental cooperation, with a strong and attractive ambition, to carry out very large integration projects for the space.
Present at the opening ceremony included the President, ESCO BLACK NOIRE – Mr Philip Hien; Ghana’s Upper West Regional Minister – Mr Stephen Yakubu; District Chief Executives from Ghana; Technical and Financial Partners of the setup, Senior Officers of GhBC, Commanding Officer, 155 Armoured Regiment, Ghana Army – Lieutenant Colonel Philemon Adotey Hoffman; Officers of the Ghana Immigration Service, amongst many.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
