commissioners
Advertisement
Heads
of
National
Boundary
Commissions
in
West
Africa
are
holding
a
three-day
seminar
to
tackle
territorial
challenges
among
the
West
African
states
collectively.
Addressing
the
commissioners,
the
Minister
for
Foreign
Affairs
and
Regional
Integration,
Shirley
Ayorkor
Botchwey
said
it
will
help
address
common
security
challenges
within
the
region.
Upholding
inherited
boundaries
is
not
just
a
legal
imperative
under
international
law,
but
an
essential
path
for
preserving
the
territorial
integrity
of
West
African
states.
Though
much
effort
lies
ahead,
there
is
the
need
to
collectively
maintain
the
territorial
integrity
of
post-colonial
states
and
promote
peaceful
coexistence
through
adherence
to
international
legal
principles.
The
African
Union
has
embraced
these
principles
to
ensure
stability
and
focus
on
broader
goals
of
unity
and
development.
Madam
Ayorkor
Botchway
believes
the
three-day
meeting
will
provide
a
unique
platform
to
engage
in
meaningful
discussions
on
efforts
towards
cross-border
management,
challenges
and
opportunities
of
member
states
as
well
as
explore
ways
to
coordinate
mechanisms
and
create
synergies
that
will
facilitate
the
creation
of
effectively
managed
boundaries
and
borders
crucial
for
trade,
cultural
exchange,
and
cooperation.
She
continued
that
such
a
meeting
will
also
facilitate
the
forging
of
partnerships
and
strategies
crucial
for
shaping
the
future
of
our
boundary
infrastructure
management
in
the
West
Africa
Region.
This
is
because
National
Boundary
Commissions
or
National
Boundary
Structures
play
a
crucial
role
in
strengthening
regional
cooperation
and
addressing
complex
border
management
challenges
she
said.
She
reaffirmed
that
maintaining
shared
boundaries,
is
pivotal
for
ensuring
regional
security,
fostering
economic
growth,
combating
cross-border
crimes
such
as
smuggling,
human
trafficking,
and
terrorism,
and
facilitating
initiatives
like
the
African
Continental
Free
Trade
Area
(AfCFTA)
and
attracting
foreign
investments
within
the
West
Africa
region.
The
Commissioner
General
of
the
Ghana
Boundary
Commission,
Major
General
Emmanuel
Wekem
Kotia,
in
an
address
said
the
meeting
will
draw
up
modalities
for
the
establishment
of
a
coordination
mechanism
between
national
and
regional
actors
for
better
articulation
implementation
of
border
governance
strategies
and
managing
boundaries.
General
Emmanuel
Wekem
Kotia
He
said
the
commissioners
will
commit
to
sharing
information
and
security
intelligence
that
is
practical
for
the
enrolment
of
other
West
African
states
to
establish
their
boundary
commission.
The
Commissioner
General
of
Nigeria
Boundary
Commission,
Adamu
Adaji
revealed
that
the
Nigerian
Commission
was
established
in
1987
and
remained
one
of
the
first
institutions
to
solve
international
boundary
issues.
Adaji
He
stated
that
the
meeting
of
West
African
commissioners
is
timely
since
it
is
going
to
address
rising
insecurity
in
the
West
African
sub-region.
The
Director
of
Free
Movement
and
Tourism
at
the
ECOWAS
Commission,
Albert
Siaw
-Boateng,
urged
the
commissioners
to
help
strengthen
collaboration
and
institutionalize
protocols
that
support
the
free
movement
of
persons,
trade,
and
capital.
Siaw
-Boateng
The
meeting
was
supported
by
the
German
Agency
for
International
Cooperation
(GIZ)
and
the
Swiss
Cooperation.
BY
KINGSEY
ADUSEI-
AMAKYE
ONUA
TV/3NEWS