The African Union (AU) and the Government of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire will co-organise the Abidjan Border Forum (ABF) from 23 to 25 October 2024 at the Abidjan Exhibition Centre, Côte d’Ivoire. The Forum, which will be opened by H.E. Robert Beugré Mambé, Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, and H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, will examine the nexus between the environment, shared natural resources, and security in the border areas.

Convened under the theme, "Green Borders: between shared natural resources and security challenges", it will bring together decision-makers and border stakeholders from AU member states, representatives of international institutions, including the AU, regional economic communities and mechanisms (RECs/RMs), the United Nations system, development partners, academics, civil society, women and youth groups and the media.

This is 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 second edition of the Abidjan Border Forum". It aligns with Agenda 2063 and the objectives of the African Union Border Programme (AUBP).

The African Union Border Programme (AUBP) is a direct response to the challenges of border governance in Africa. It operates in conformity with the principles of subsidiarity, complementarity, and respect for the intangibility of borders as they existed upon achievement of independence, enshrined in legal and political frameworks such as Resolution 16 (1) of the July 1964 Cairo Declaration, promulgated by the Organization of African Unity, and the Constitutive Act of the African Union (Article 4 (b)). 

This second edition of the Forum builds on the first, which the Government of Côte d’Ivoire organised through its National Border Commission (CNFCI) in October 2022. The Forum provided an opportunity to reflect on the links between "borders and collective security in Africa". The participants discussed the challenges and opportunities inherent to border governance in Africa. They unanimously recommended that states prioritise diplomacy and negotiation in the settlement of border disputes and strengthen the participation of women and young people in mechanisms which promote a climate of peace in border areas.

The Forum will reflect on implementing the AU Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention, 2014) and the AU Strategy for Better Integrated Border Governance (2020), which serve as frameworks for orientation, coordination, and coherence of border policies at continental, regional, and national levels and aim to promote a proactive border governance approach and systematic cross-border cooperation.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Haifa Aboubaker, AU Border Programme Coordinator I Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department I African Union Commission I Email: AboubakerH@africa-union.org

Mr Paschal Chem-Langhee I Communications Coordinator 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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