Alhaji Sarjoh Bah, PhD, Director of the Conflict Management Directorate at the Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) Department of the African Union Commission, led an African Union (AU) delegation to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire from July 15 to 16, 2024, ahead of the upcoming 2024 edition of the Abidjan Border Forum (ABF).

The preparatory mission aimed to engage with Ivorian authorities on how to scale up the promotion of border governance in Africa and finalise preparations towards organising the Abidjan Border Forum in October 2024 in line with the decision of the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, in which the Assembly "[saluted] the holding of the Border Forum in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in October 2022; [welcomed] the decision to hold the Forum biennially and [called on] the AU Commission to consider co-hosting the 2nd edition of the Abidjan Border Forum".

On July 15, the AU delegation, also composed of Amb. Josephine Mayuma Kala, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission (SRCC) and Head of the AU Liaison Office in Côte d’Ivoire, and technical experts from the AU PAPS Department, paid a courtesy call to Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they were received by Amb. Evariste Yapi, Secretary General at the Ministry. The parties reaffirmed the AU’s and Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to co-organise the joint inaugural AU – Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan Border Forum.

On July 16, Dr Sarjoh Bah and Mr Konate Diakalidia, Executive Secretary of the National Border Commission of Côte d'Ivoire (CNFCI), co-chaired a working session with their teams on coordination mechanisms and practical modalities for the successful co-organisation of the ABF in October 2024. These discussions culminated in a signed memorandum of understanding between both parties.

On the same day, H.E. Vagondo Diomande, Minister of the Interior and Security of Côte d’Ivoire, also received the head of the delegation and SRCC. They discussed security dynamics in the ECOWAS geographic space.

It must be noted that the ABF will bring together decision-makers, border practitioners and other stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities inherent to border governance in Africa.

For more information, please contact:

Ms Haifa Aboubaker, Coordinator a.i. I African Union Border Program I Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department I African Union Commission I E-mail: AboubakerH@africa-union.org  

Mr. Paschal Chem-Langhee I Communications Coordinator a.i. I Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department I African Union Commission I Email: chem-langheep@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org I Web: au.int | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

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