The Minister for the Interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery, opened a 3-day Regional Conference on International Cooperation on Border Management and Security in Accra aimed at discussing issues related to border management and security in the cross-border areas of Ghana with Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo.
Addressing the conference, Hon. Ambrose Dery called for comprehensively streamlining efforts to effectively facilitate the movement of goods and people at the same time maintaining peace and security.
‘This conference is an affirmation of the value of international partnership, the value of working together as governments of neighbouring countries, security services and as actors from the public and private spheres towards the common goal of having a safe and orderly movement of people and goods across the borders,” he said.
The Minister disclosed that under the Security Governance Initiative between Ghana and the U.S Government, the Government of Ghana has established a National Border Security Technical Working Group to work with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Advisor and experts to address and resolve the border and security challenges.
According to him, so far, some progress has been made and that the team has undertaken many constructive steps such as several joint security operations between Ghana, Togo, Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Kenya.
Touching on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Minister said it was established to create a single continental market for goods and services with free movement of business persons and investments. He added that there is a need for all stakeholders in the cross border areas to work together to achieve the tenets of the AfCFTA.
The conference was organized by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and the Ghana Immigration Service. It brought together stakeholders and key representatives working in the domain of border management to exchange and share experiences on issues of common interest.
