Secure borders, safer West Africa

The Minister of the Interior for Ghana, Mr Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has called for greater collaboration among West African nations to counter transnational organized crime. At the opening of a two-day workshop in Accra, Mr Muntaka emphasized the need for stronger cooperation to tighten border management and ensure safer, orderly migration across the sub-region.

The workshop, organized under the European Union-funded SHIFT project, brought together representatives from Ghana, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo. They discussed sharing experiences, identifying common priorities, and exploring ways to enhance border management. Mr Muntaka stressed that no single country can effectively combat such threats on its own, as criminal networks operate without regard for national borders.

The workshop underscores the importance of coordinated efforts, improved infrastructure, and adequate logistics to address shared security and migration challenges. However, it is crucial that this emphasis translates into practical cooperation. Information sharing should be swift, suspicious movements tracked across borders, and security agencies must act together when threats emerge.

Investment in personnel, technology, and surveillance equipment is essential, but they must complement properly trained and adequately resourced officers who understand the local terrain and can identify emerging threats. Border communities, often best positioned to spot unusual activities, should be considered partners in this endeavor. They can provide valuable information when they trust security agencies.

While stronger border security is necessary, it should not hinder legitimate movement and trade. Millions in West Africa rely on cross-border trade and movement for their livelihoods. The challenge lies in keeping criminals out while facilitating the movement of legitimate travelers and goods with minimal unnecessary delays.

The SHIFT project, valued at approximately €7.3 million, provides an opportunity to deliver practical improvements in border management and regional security. However, success should be measured by the disruption of criminal networks, protection of victims, facilitation of legitimate travelers, and enhanced community safety, rather than merely the number of workshops held.