Kofi Ampeah Woode
Carving out the Bounkani and Savannah Regions of la Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, respectively, the Boundary Commissions of the two neighbours have held a 2-day maiden conference in Accra, for security actors in those regions to discuss cross-border issues of security, crime, and other related activities that impinge on the stability of the two border regions.
The 2-day meet, sponsored by Gesellschaft fϋr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) under its two projects of African Union Border Program (AUBP), and Mitigating the destabilizing effect of Transnational Organized Crime (M-TOC), took place from Friday 1 to Saturday 2 November 2024, at the Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana.
Security actors from the Savannah Region, representing 155 Armoured Regiment of the Ghana Army, the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, and their counterparts from la Cote d’Ivoire, spent hours in group discussions, presentations, scrutiny of presentations, and a final communique.
The final communique, which was generated on the closing day of the conference, was endorsed by the District Chief Executive of Bole – Madam Alele Veronica Hemeng, on behalf of the Savannah Regional Minister, and the Prefect of Doropo – Tohoury Paulin Martial Okou, on behalf of the Prefect of the Bounkani Region.
Delivering his address, the Commissioner General (CG), Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC) – Major General (Maj Gen) Emmanuel Wekem Kotia noted that, the event is geared towards collaboration in the prevention of conflicts and criminal activities, should there be a case of local boundary disputes.
He said the two carved out regions – the Savannah Region of Ghana and the Bounkani Region of Côte d’Ivoire – share more than borders; they share history, culture, and a commitment to the development, thus the meeting of various security heads in the two regions, is an opportunity to formalize and strengthen the bonds of cooperation that have existed between the two regions for decades.
General Kotia expressed expectations that the meeting, being the first of its kind, would deliver a plan of action and a framework that would set the modalities of this cooperation, and build a solid foundation for cross-border security between the Savannah Region and the Bounkani Region.
He added that in recent years, the importance of cross-border cooperation has become increasingly evident as one confronts the complex challenges that saddle cross-border management.
Shared borders, he stated, are the lifeblood of trade, social interaction, and cultural exchange, however, they are also vulnerable points and easy entry for criminal activities that threaten the stability of the communities, hence it is imperative to address these challenges head-on by establishing a robust and sustainable framework for cross-border security between the Savannah and Bounkani regions.
Acknowledging that Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have already made significant progress in fostering cross-border collaboration, which has been approved by the AUBP’s Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation, and ratified by both countries, he said that stands as a testament to the two neighbours’ collective commitment to regional security and development.
However, the General continued, while critical steps are taken, there remains much to be done, particularly in terms of coordinating security efforts, with the absence of a formalized framework for security cooperation between the Border Defence and Security Forces of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, which has left a gap that must be urgently address.
Outlining more reasons why the initiative is of utmost importance, the CG said, the tri-border area, encompassing Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, has become increasingly vulnerable to cross-border crimes, including the smuggling of goods, illegal mining, trafficking, and even the movement of armed groups, disrupting safety and livelihoods of the people.
The economic potential realization of the two regions is hindered by insecurity and instability, whiles from a socioeconomic and cultural perspective, formalizing security cooperation would strengthen the bonds of families and communities across these borders, who have maintained strong relationships through shared language, traditions, and customs.
He concluded that a successful cross-border security framework requires more than just agreements on paper, but the full commitment of all stakeholders, including local authorities, security forces, border officials, and most importantly, the people who live and work in border communities.
The details of the Communique, at the end of the dialogue is as follows:
“During two days of work, participants (i) identified and analyzed cross-border security issues, (i) identified the causes of these issues, (ii) identified key actors, (iv) proposed resolution mechanisms and (v) developed a roadmap of joint activities for strengthening cross-border security cooperation. The roadmap is annexed to this final communiqué.
Following the inventory of the security problems identified in the common border area, the participants prioritized the actions to be taken.
Thus, at the end of the work, the Parties agreed on the establishment of a formal framework for cooperation between the security services of the Savannah region in Ghana and Bounkani in Côte d’lvoire. The relevant actors of the framework will have to meet twice a year, and as many times as necessary.
In order to provide lasting solutions to the challenges and issues related to the governance of this border area, the Parties have selected the following priority actions:
I – Strengthening the network of the border strip through: The establishment of a Joint Border Security Committee; the establishment of local memoranda of understanding in the security sector; the reduction of border porosity through the establishment of advanced border posts; the organization of patrols, either coordinated, parallel or joint;
II – Information sharing between border services the strengthening of intra- and inter-service cooperative management at the level of each country (immigration, customs, health, veterinary services); the establishment of a secure communication network; the organization of periodic meetings between the security services and the administrative authorities; strengthening collaboration between communities and security services (community security):
III – The diligent treatment of the issue of the management of pastoral mobility (border and cross-border) as well as the problem of illegal gold mining; conducting studies; the establishment of joint local transhumance committees; the implementation of projects with a quick impact on communities; raising awareness among communities on the need to restore biodiversity and on the harmful effects of degradation and the environment (illegal gold mining sites):
IV – Training and capacity building on specific modules;
V – The development of a modus operandi for the prevention and management of humanitarian, health and security crises;
VI – The periodic evaluation of the implementation of security cooperation activities.
For the implementation of this roadmap, the Parties are seeking the support of technical and financial partners, in particular the M-TOC project and GIZ/AUBP.”
Present through the conference included the Executive Secretary, National Commission of la Côte d’Ivoire Frontiers (CNFCI) – Mr Diakalidia Konaté; Overlord of Yapei – Yapeiwura Dr Adam Baba Tanko Zakariah; Dr Bakary Sanou – Project Director, GIZ’s AUBP and M-TOC; and staff of the Ghanaian and Ivorian Boundary Commissions.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
