Ghana and Burkina Faso have concluded a series of bilateral engagements to jointly reaffirm and manage their common international boundary.
The engagements, which commenced on Monday, 15, and climaxed on Monday June 22, included the Meeting of the Joint Technical Committee for the Review of the Modalities and Roadmap for the Reaffirmation of the Common Land Boundary and the Meeting to Review the Framework for Consultation between the Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana and the Djoro, Nakambe, Nando and Nazinon Regions of Burkina.
Both meetings culminated in the signing of official documents, the inauguration of a 22-Member Joint Technical Committee, and the re-launch of the Reaffirmation of the international land boundary at Po in Burkina Faso.
The activities by Ghana and Burkina over the 8-day period are in pursuance of 3 Framework Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding signed by the Foreign Ministers of both countries on February 20, 2026, to reaffirm and jointly manage the Ghana-Burkina international boundary.
During the inaugural and official signing ceremony yesterday, a representative of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Ghana’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, H.E Kenneth Akibate, described the outcomes of the meetings as a testament to the collective determination of both states to ensure that the common boundary remains a symbol of cooperation and a bridge of mutual transformation.
He noted the confidence of both Governments in the use of dialogue, cooperation, and preventive diplomacy as effective strategies for advancing their common interests and indicated that this stance had been demonstrated throughout the bilateral engagements.
He further added that the successes chalked during the week are both countries’ way of announcing to the world that “the Ghana-Burkina Faso land boundary is a catalyst for mutual development and not a source of conflict and misunderstanding.”
Ambassador Akibate commended the GIZ/African Union Border Programme (AUBP) for what he described as a noble cause towards the realisation of a common objective of an Africa united through clearly delimited and demarcated boundaries.
Comrade Yvette Massadalou NACOULMA SANOU, the Governor of the Nazinon Region representative of Burkina’s Minister for Territorial Administration and Mobility, entreated the various working and technical committee constituted over the period to work in compliance with the existing framework agreements. This, she added, is to ensure both countries transform the common areas into bridges of opportunities for shared socio-economic development.
She further emphasised that the reaffirmation is not meant to separate communities on both sides of the divide but rather to provide serenity and help prevent cross-border crimes and conflicts along the boundary.
“The boundary is a line that unites us. The Governments of both countries have shown compliance through this exercise. Let us turn the borders into bridges of cooperation to develop our respective countries,” the governor stressed.
Comrade Yvette Massadalou NACOULMA SANOU was optimistic that the friendship between the two countries will continue to flourish.
For his part, the Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General Anthony Ntem commended all the stakeholders for their active involvement in the series of meetings, adding that the keen participation throughout the week-long consultations and discussions demonstrated the commitment of both countries in implementing the framework agreement to the latter.
“Thank you for providing the strong foundation upon which we can confidently transform our boundaries into steadfast bridges,” the Commissioner General appreciated.
He further indicated that the exercise is a demonstration of both countries collective resolve to ensure the common boundaries continue to serve as shared spaces of opportunities, cooperation, trade and development.
Major General Anthony Ntem therefore, encouraged the various Committees to work together within the frameworks to build boundaries that are secure and contributes meaningfully to the vision of an integrated and prosperous Africa.
Major General Anthony Ntem also commended GIZ/AUBP for their technical and financial support towards boundary governance in Africa and appealed that the Programme extends its support towards the implementation and actualisation of the decisions reached at the meeting.
The Commissioner General also appealed to the local and traditional authorities present at the meetings to own the reaffirmation process, reminding them that the task is a shared responsibility.
The Head of Programme for the GIZ/AUBP, Dr. Bakary SANOU extolled both countries for the synergy in institutionalising cross-border cooperation and working towards the actualisation of the 20 February Agreements.
He assured participants of GIZ/AUBP’s unflinching support for the implementation of the Agreements and Frameworks. Dr SANOU also commended the local organising committee for the good work.
The end of a week-long series of consultations and engagements between Ghana and Burkina Faso marks the commencement of technical work to reaffirm the Ghana-Burkina Faso International Land Boundary.
The engagements have also formalized processes for regular coordinated consultations and engagements between regional, district, and local-level administrative, security, and traditional stakeholders in the cross-border regions of Ghana and Burkina Faso.
