The |Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has called for stronger collaboration among West African countries to improve the management of shared international boundaries and address growing cross-border challenges.
He made the call on Wednesday at a high-level sub-regional consultation involving National Boundary Commissions from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali.
He described the meeting as an important step toward deepening cooperation among neighbouring states.
He said the consultation builds on recent national efforts led by the Ghana Boundary Commission, including a stakeholder workshop that examined the country’s border governance framework and emerging security concerns.
According to Mr Buah, the outcomes of the national engagements highlighted the need for stronger institutional coordination, broader stakeholder participation and data-driven planning to manage increasingly complex border issues.
He noted that while borders continue to support trade, cultural exchange and livelihoods, they also face challenges such as irregular migration, smuggling, transhumance-related conflicts and environmental degradation.
The Minister stressed that such challenges require coordinated regional responses built on trust and cooperation rather than isolated national actions.
On his part, the Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Anthony Ntem, said participating countries had undertaken extensive national consultations to align their border governance priorities ahead of the meeting.
He explained that Ghana’s consultations were guided by a 10-year strategic framework and revealed the growing need for more coordinated approaches to border management across the sub-region.
Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD
