Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC), in collaboration with Conciliation Resources – an International Peacebuilding Organization, organised a two-day Regional Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Emerging Security Threats and Initiatives towards Effective Boundary Management.
The deliberations which were held from 28 to 29 February, 2024, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana, and sponsored by Robert Bosch Stiftung – an organization based in Stuttgart, Germany – discussed pertinent issues related to peace building, conflict analysis and boundary governance along the tri-border areas of Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.
Participants were from the Boundary Commissions of Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, as well as other organisations such as Association for Management of Natural Resources and Fauna (AGEREF) and Graine de Paix from Burkina Faso, INDIGO from Côte d’Ivoire, and NORTH CODE from Ghana.
In her welcome address, Madam Janet Adama Mohammed – the West Africa Programme Director for Conciliation Resources, acknowledged the extensive research that has been conducted in the tri-border region by the various institutions, and underscored the importance of moving beyond mere analysis and discussion, to tangible steps that would address the issues identified in the research.
She stated that the shift towards action-oriented outcomes reflects a commitment to practical solutions, and meaningful impact in addressing the challenges facing the tri-border region, and also highlighted the profound socio-cultural and economic connections among communities within the region that naturally foster deeper relationships among neighbouring communities.
In her opening address, Ms Pauline Okkens – Political Adviser at the German Embassy in Accra, underscored the pivotal role of effective boundary management in mitigating and resolving cross-border issues, and emphasised that well-defined borders serve as crucial preventive measures against conflicts.
She highlighted the German Government’s recognition of the significance of robust border governance in addressing cross-border challenges, and the Embassy’s commitment to supporting collaboration among Boundary Commissions in the sub-region.
Ms Okkens reiterated the German Government’s steadfast dedication to partnering in security-related endeavours, including the utilisation of stabilisation tools, peaceful conflict resolution strategies, and capacity-building initiatives for the assurance of peace and security in the sub-region.
In the closing remarks, the Commissioner-General, GhBC – Major General (Maj Gen) Emmanuel Kotia, noted that the complex landscape of security challenges facing the sub-region are staggering, and calls for a concerted effort to manage them, and that it was important for participants to safeguard identified shared priorities, as a tool that would further enhance the collective efforts of stakeholders.
Conciliation Resources, founded in Australia, is located in London, United Kingdom, and Brussels, Belgium, and works with people in conflict to prevent violence, build peace, providing advice, support and practical resources.
Credit: GhBC PR
