Ghana and Burkina Faso have signed seven bilateral agreements aimed at strengthening security collaboration, cross-border cooperation and economic integration.
This follows high-level talks between the two countries in Ouagadougou.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced that he had held substantive discussions with the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Mr Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, and his Burkinabè counterpart, Mr Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, during a two-day official visit.
The meetings, he said, reaffirmed the exceptionally cordial relations between Accra and Ouagadougou and resulted in renewed commitments to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors.
Central to the discussions was security collaboration, particularly in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in the sub-region.
The two governments condemned recent terror attacks in Burkina Faso and expressed condolences to the affected families.
They agreed to design and adopt a new security framework aimed at neutralising the growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism, which continues to pose risks to stability in the Sahel and West Africa at large.
The two countries also established a new partnership in disaster management to enhance preparedness and response mechanisms, especially in addressing the perennial spillage from the Bagré Dam in Burkina Faso.
Over the years, controlled spillages from the dam had caused severe flooding in downstream communities in northern Ghana, displacing residents, destroying farms and infrastructure, and triggering humanitarian challenges.
The new cooperation framework is expected to improve early warning systems, information sharing and coordinated emergency responses.
Mr Ablakwa announced the reactivation of the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation (PJCC) between Ghana and Burkina Faso, which had been dormant for six years.
The reactivation follows earlier engagements between President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and President Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso in January and March last year, signalling renewed high-level political will to strengthen bilateral ties.
At the conclusion of the PJCC session, the two countries signed seven agreements covering key areas of mutual interest.
These include an agreement on the mutual recognition of national driver’s licences to facilitate movement of citizens across borders, and an agreement on transport and road transit to enhance trade and connectivity.
The two sides also signed a framework agreement on cross-border cooperation and a memorandum of understanding to establish periodic consultation frameworks between border administrative authorities to address localised challenges.
Additionally, they agreed to create a joint commission to reaffirm the border between the two countries, reinforcing peaceful coexistence and clarity in boundary management.
The package of agreements further includes a cooperation agreement on the prevention and management of disasters and humanitarian crises, as well as an agreement on combating the illicit cultivation, production, manufacture and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
Ghana and Burkina Faso share a long-standing relationship rooted in history, geography and economic interdependence.
The two countries share a common border stretching over 500 kilometres, with vibrant cross-border trade and social ties among border communities.
However, rising insecurity in parts of the Sahel, including Burkina Faso, and recurring flooding linked to the Bagré Dam have underscored the need for closer collaboration.
Mr Ablakwa expressed appreciation to the government and people of Burkina Faso for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation, describing the visit as fruitful and forward-looking.
He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in pursuit of peace, stability and shared prosperity for the peoples of both countries.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
