The Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC) and the National Boundary Borders of Burkina Faso have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a joint commission for the reaffirmation of land boundaries between the two countries.

The two parties signed the MoU in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital, after a third joint meeting between Ghana and Burkina Faso, with funding support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), as part of its African Union border programme.

They examined and adopted the Draft Framework Agreements on Cross-Border Cooperation and Institutionalization of Regular Meetings of Boundary Administration Authorities between Ghana and Burkina Faso.

They agreed to organise another meeting on a date to be determined, where local authorities of both countries would be invited to validate the Draft Framework Agreement on Cross-Border Cooperation between the two countries.

Major General Emmanuel Wekem Kotia, the Commissioner-General of the GhBC, who signed the MoU on behalf of Ghana, said: “We have come up with modalities or a plan of action on how both countries will conduct sensitisation during the reaffirmation of our land boundaries."

"This is no mean achievement; these are very important decisions that have been taken between the two countries," he added.

He commended officials from the GhBC and their counterparts from Burkina Faso for their input, which ensured both countries agreed and validated the MoU.

He urged both parties to be guided by their work, especially on cross-border activities on the details and protocols contained in the African Union Convention on cross-border cooperation.

He said Ghana and Burkina Faso had signed onto the Convention, and that in all their deliberations and practical work on the field, there was the need for them to always have the Convention in mind.

He noted that “It is one of the fundamental Conventions that could lead us to a very successful reaffirmation and sensitisation among the border communities of our two countries.”

The Commissioner-General further admonished both parties, especially their Burkina Faso counterparts that “The earlier we validate most of the agreements, the better for us to start operations on the field so far as reaffirmation is concerned.”

He said the GhBC was willing and ready to start the reaffirmation exercise, “We are ready to start, but then we understand that there will be procedures to be followed by our counterparts.

“We are ready at any time. Once you are ready, we are ready to move the process forward,” he told the Burkina Faso delegation.

Madam Salimata Dabal, the Permanent Secretary of the National Boundary Borders of Burkina Faso, who led her country’s delegation to sign the MoU, said her team would ensure that the cross-border cooperation was strengthened.

She said despite the difficulties encountered during the discussion on the agreement and validation, they were satisfied with the outcomes of the five-day meeting.

She thanked Major General Kotia and officials of the GhBC for the fruitful discussions during the meeting and gave the assurance that Burkina Faso would play her role to ensure a peaceful exercise.