Côte d’Ivoire and the African Union (AU) Commission will jointly host the third Abidjan Border Forum from October 20 to October 22 at the Abidjan Exhibition Centre.
The event will be held under the theme “Border Communities: Culture, Integration and Security”.
Côte d’Ivoire Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé and AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf are expected to open the Forum.
Participants will include policymakers from AU Member States, regional organisations, border-management agencies, development partners, researchers and representatives of border communities.
Discussions will examine how culture can transform borders from barriers into bridges and how cross-border cooperation can support the movement and integration of people, territories and economies.
Delegates will also consider border security, local knowledge, delimitation and demarcation processes and the role of communities in stabilising border areas.
The Forum aims to identify gaps between regional policies and implementation, highlight successful cross-border initiatives and develop practical recommendations for national and continental border governance.
The gathering is guided by the AU principle that borders inherited at independence should remain inviolable to preserve peace, stability and cooperation among countries.
The Forum also draws on the 2007 African Union Border Programme, the 2014 Niamey Convention on cross-border cooperation and the 2020 AU Strategy for Better Integrated Border Governance.
The first Forum in 2022 focused on borders and collective security, calling for diplomacy and negotiation to resolve disputes and greater participation by women and young people.
The second gathering in 2024 examined green borders, shared natural resources, environmental pressures and security.
The latest meeting will seek to place border communities at the centre of policies supporting development, cultural exchange and peaceful coexistence.
Côte d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara and Youssouf are providing political oversight for the gathering.
Ivorian Musician Alpha Blondy, the Forum’s Brand Ambassador, will close the event with a performance at the Abidjan Exhibition Centre on October 22.
–AU/ChannelAfrica–
