President urges strong boundary mechanisms to avert resource conflicts

By Daniel NONOR, ACCRA

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has emphasized the critical role of effective boundary mechanisms in preventing conflicts over natural resources in West Africa.

 During a courtesy call by the Heads of Boundary Commissions from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, President Nana Addo  emphasised  the necessity of peaceful boundary resolutions to maintain regional stability.

“Our continent is blessed with many natural resources both offshore and onshore,” President Akufo-Addo stated. “The only way we can prevent serious conflicts over the control of these resources is if you do your work properly and acceptably.”

He praised the ECOWAS initiative to bring together boundary commissions to discuss these critical issues.

“The initiative that has been taken by the ECOWAS to bring you together to discuss these very important subjects is commendable. One of the most important decisions taken by Africans was at the OAU’s inception, agreeing to abide by the colonial boundaries we inherited. This was crucial because European history is littered with wars over boundaries.”

President Akufo-Addo also reflected on Ghana’s own boundary disputes, specifically the maritime conflict with Côte d’Ivoire upon his assumption of office in 2017. “Fortunately for Ghana, this dispute was litigated at the maritime court in Hamburg, and the outcome, which was favorable to Ghana, was readily accepted by Côte d’Ivoire. This was possible because of the farsightedness of President Alassane Ouattara, who saw the importance of ending this conflict peacefully.”

He underscored the importance of not taking peaceful resolutions for granted. “We can’t take it for granted that every president will behave like Alassane Ouattara. For this reason, the work that you’re doing to establish a coordinating mechanism is very important.”

Encouraging the boundary commissions to remain dedicated, he said, “I want to encourage you to give this effort your greatest attention, energies, and support.”

President Akufo-Addo contextualized the significance of their work by mentioning other regional disputes, such as the Bakassi oil fields conflict between Nigeria and Cameroon and the ongoing dispute between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt over water resources.

 “I hope that by the end of your visit, the conclusions and recommendations that will come from your work will go a long way in securing our borders.”

 President Akufo-Addo  reiterated Ghana’s commitment to regional cooperation. “As far as our immediate neighbors as Ghanaians are concerned, we will continue to work with them to ensure that disputes over our boundaries are peacefully resolved.”