Burkina Faso and Ghana sign seven major agreements to boost security and trade in West Africa

Ghana and Burkina Faso have signed seven major agreements aimed at strengthening trade, security and cross-border cooperation along one of West Africa’s most strategic trade routes.

According to Africa Business Insiderleaders of both countries secured the agreements during the last session of the Permanent Joint Commission Cooperation (PJCC) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The trade agreements end a six-year hiatus for the two countries.

Central to the discussions were security and the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. On February 14, a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso killed seven Ghanaian traders and injured several others. As the Anadolu Agency reports, cross-border trade between Northern Ghana and Burkina Faso is an important route for food supplies and vital for traders and their livelihoods. As Burkina Faso faces worsening violence from insurgent groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS (Daesh), neighboring countries are concerned about potential spillover effects.

Ahead of the talks, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa visited the victims of the February 14 terrorist attack in Titao at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

Both countries agreed to design and adopt a new security framework aimed at neutralizing the growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism in the region.

What you need to know about the other deals between Burkina Faso and Ghana

In addition to security, the seven agreements focus on agricultural trade, border management, counter-terrorism, disaster prevention, driver licensing and more. One agreement aims to protect youth and regional security in a joint ‘no-drug zone’. The agreement focuses on the illegal cultivation, production and trade of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Leaders from both sides also established a new disaster management partnership to improve preparedness and response mechanisms, especially in addressing the ongoing Bagré Dam leakage in Burkina Faso. According to Ghana Web, controlled leaks from the dam have caused severe flooding in communities in northern Ghana, destroying farms and displacing residents.

The leaders said the new cooperation mechanism would improve disaster preparedness and coordinated response.

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