Ghana ratifies Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation
The African Union Commission (AUC) has commended Ghana for ratifying the African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation.
By ratifying the Convention, Ghana becomes the eighth country after Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal to have ratified the convention.
Ghana had signed the agreement on July 4, 2017, and the Convention was further ratified by the Parliament of Ghana on February 9, 2023.
A ceremony was held at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday, September 4, 2023, to deposit the Instruments of the Convention signaling Ghana's commitment to its willingness to work with other countries to achieve the goals ascribed by the Convention.
The delegation was led by the National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC) Major General Emmanuel Kotia; the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Opoku Danquah, as well as officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ghana Embassy in Ethiopia.
Ratification
The African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention) is a treaty that was adopted by the African Union in 2006.
The Convention which is a legal instrument aimed to promote cross-border cooperation between African countries provides a framework for cooperation in a variety of areas, including trade, investment, transportation, energy, and environment.
It also establishes mechanisms for resolving border disputes and promoting peace and security.
The ratification of the Convention is a significant step for Ghana in promoting peace, security, and stability in the region.
Ghana by the ratification has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring the peaceful and efficient management of the country’s borders.
AU Commission
The Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union Commission (AUC), Bankole Adeoye, who received the instrument, congratulated the Commission for the strides it has made in these few years.
Mr Adeoye who also commended President Akufo-Addo and the Ghanaian public for the lead role they continue to play in safeguarding peace, security, and stability in Africa also praised the Boundary Commission for its decision to hold a conference on Maritime Boundaries and International Law.
The conference which seeks to identify and address challenges to maritime boundary delimitation in Africa, such as overlapping claims, disputed islands, and the presence of natural resources also intend to reinforce the African Union's commitment to promoting the peaceful resolution of maritime boundary disputes in Africa and to strengthening cooperation between African countries on maritime issues.
The AU Commission, he emphasised would continue to support its activities through the African Union Border Programme.
Ghana
Major General Kotia praised the AU Commission for its dedication to the tenets of the African Union Convention on Border and Boundary Management which he said is key for promoting peace, security, and stability on the continent.