By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Sept. 17, GNA-The governments of Ghana and Burkina-Faso have validated a cross-border cooperation agreement, to reaffirm the international boundaries handed to the countries by the colonial masters.
The agreement would promote cross-border relations between the two countries to enhance their collective development.
It formed part of the Africa Union (AU) Border Governance Strategy to erode the notion of international borders being barriers, and rather build bridges that promoted the development of the countries.
The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) facilitated the validation of the agreement at a brief meeting in Wa following the drafting, review and negotiation of the cooperation Agreement by the two countries.
Mr Valentin Schuetz, the Head of the Programme of Border Governance at the GIZ, noted that the AU border governance strategy outlined pillars that constituted effective border governance to achieve the goal of “transforming boundaries from barriers into bridges.”
He said the agreement was important as it created a reliable regime of cross-border cooperation between Ghana and neighbouring states of Burkina-Faso.
Mr Schuetz said the Cooperation Agreement would foster cooperation between border communities in Ghana and Burkina-Faso “in their legitimate interest to pursue their livelihoods.”
Colonel Henry Kwaku Badasu, the Chief of Staff at the Ghana Boundaries Commission, said the Commission was implementing projects aimed at ensuring maximum cooperation and collaboration between the rural communities along Ghana’s borders.
“Currently, we are looking at the reaffirmation of the international boundaries handed to us by the colonial masters. The Commission is now engaged in, as part of the Africa Union Border programme, activities to reaffirm the boundaries that we have inherited,” Colonel Badasu explained.
He stated that as part of the reaffirmation activities, Ghana had demarcated its boundaries with Togo and La Côte d’Ivoire and was building new border pillars with those countries, and the engagement with the Burkina-Faso counterparts was a process of also reaffirming Ghana’s boundaries with that country.
Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper West Regional Minister, described the validation of the cooperation agreement as a decisive step towards building a framework that emphasised the values of peace, shared prosperity and sustainability for the border regions.
“Climate and weather issues have long presented both challenges and opportunities, from trade and migration to security and resource management.
The ability to work together across borders is vital for fostering economic development and improving the livelihood of our people”, he explained.
Mr Yakubu the framework provided the institutional and operational mechanisms for strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade and economic cooperation.
He said it would encourage legal trade flows and small and medium-sized businesses across borders and enhance security and conflict resolution.
Mr Yakubu added that the framework would also facilitate shared investments in infrastructure projects, resource management and policies related to the environment and agriculture among others.
GNA