Ouagadougou: The Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, declared Friday that the government intends to make cross-border cooperation a priority in its sub-regional integration policy, like the AES which helped reduce the strength of terrorists in the three-border area.
‘Burkina Faso has recorded numerous security and development achievements within the framework of cross-border cooperation with neighboring countries. This confirms the government in making this cooperation a priority in terms of border management,’ indicated the minister.
According to Minister in charge of territorial administration Moussa Zerbo, collaboration between Burkina and its neighbors has made it possible to resolve numerous tensions in the border areas and to create a climate of peace and security for the economic, social and cultural development of the populations.
According to him, cross-border cooperation also concerns migration and the free movement of people and goods.
To this end, the minister maintained that
borders must constitute bridges of integration between African peoples.
‘(Thus), Burkina, Mali and Niger established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to resolve their common concerns at their borders,’ he maintained.
The minister cites as proof the creation of the AES which made it possible to reduce the strength of armed terrorist groups in the three-border area within the framework of cross-border cooperation.
Moussa Zerbo spoke in a statement marking African Borders Day.
Burkina Faso has commemorated African Borders Day since 2013.
This year it is being held under the theme: ‘Border management faced with security challenges in the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States: challenges and perspectives’.
Source: Burkina Information Agency