Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire have commenced a week-long bilateral engagement in Wa, Upper West Region, focused on strengthening cross-border cooperation at the local level. This initiative, initiated on Monday, August 24, 2026, is a crucial step following a preliminary agreement between Ghana and Burkina Faso and Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. The meeting, overseen by the Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC), seeks to harmonize and validate legal texts that will govern the establishment and operation of Local Groups for Cross-Border Cooperation (LGCBCs) between Ghana and the two neighboring countries. The LGCBCs are designed to improve resilience in border communities while fostering shared socio-economic development along the boundary.
The meeting was held separately between Ghana and Burkina Faso and Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, with representatives from key institutions and stakeholders converging in Wa. The Deputy Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Frederick Somuah Obeng, highlighted the initiative’s potential to build robust and sustainable local structures, emphasizing that these groups will provide a platform for local authorities and security agencies to collaborate on addressing common challenges and identifying opportunities for mutual development.
He explained that the LGCBCs represent a crucial local-level dimension to broader bilateral agreements and conventions between Ghana and Burkina Faso. Mr. Obeng underscored that the groups are intended to translate existing bilateral agreements into practical actions at the cross-border community level. ‘It is important to emphasise that this process is not taking place in isolation. Rather, it forms part of a broader and steadily advancing framework of cooperation between Ghana and Burkina Faso,’ he stated.
Furthermore, Mr. Somuah Obeng acknowledged the technical and financial support provided by GIZ and the African Union Border Programme (AUBP).
The Governor of the Djoro Region and leader of the Burkina Faso delegation, Camarade Siaka Baro, expressed appreciation to the Ghana Boundary Commission, the National Boundary Secretariat of Burkina Faso and the political leadership of both countries for their commitment to strengthening cooperation and improving development prospects in border communities. The West Africa Regional Coordinator of the African Union Border Programme Support Project (GIZ/AUBP), Mamoudou Tapily, described the LGCBCs as institutional mechanisms that would give neighboring local authorities the capacity to take direct action on shared cross-border issues. She emphasized that the structures would enable communities on both sides to jointly manage challenges and opportunities shaped by their shared history and geography.
Mr. Tapily urged participants to actively contribute to the discussions, stating that the success of the workshop would depend on their ‘technical rigour, spirit of conciliation and shared vision of cross-border cooperation.’ The initiative is expected to provide a stronger basis for sustained collaboration among Ghanaian, Burkinabe, and Ivorian border communities and contribute to building more resilient, peaceful, and prosperous border areas.”
This initiative represents a significant step toward strengthening the relationship between Ghana and Burkina Faso, potentially leading to enhanced collaboration and development within the border region.
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Source: Adom Online
