APA-Abidjan (Ivory Coast) This Ivorian national policy of integrated border management, which extends over ten years, has two phases, the first of which is estimated at over 400 billion CFA francs.
The document was officially presented on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in the auditorium of the Prime Minister’s Office, under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Karim Traore, representing the Head of Government Patrick Achi and the Minister of the Interior and Security, Vagondo Diomande.
Karim Traore welcomed this “draft document on the National Policy of Integrated Border Management of Cote d’Ivoire.” For him, it is something important when we know the context in which we are today, marked by the jihadist threat and internal crises in the countries.
Therefore, it is essential to have a reference framework for integrated border management, he added, noting that this policy will be used and analysed for adoption by the government of Cote d’Ivoire.
According to Prefect Diakalidia Konate, Executive Secretary of the National Border Commission of Cote d’Ivoire (CNFCI), Vice President of the National Technical Committee (CTN), the implementation of this policy is based on an action plan divided into two phases.
Phase 1, which runs until 2028, i.e. over five years, is the period for carrying out priority and urgent actions consistent with the National Development Program (NDP, 2021-2025) and incorporating ongoing projects.
The amount is estimated at 444.44 billion CFA francs, including 30 percent of the funding to be mobilized from the state of Cote d’Ivoire and 70 percent from development partners, said Mr. Diakalidia Konate,
the Executive Secretary of the National Border Commission of Cote d’Ivoire.
The National Integrated Border Management Policy of Côte d’Ivoire(PNGIF-CI) should provide sustainable responses to five main issues, including improving border governance, strengthening security and social cohesion in border areas.
It also aims to give a strong impetus to cross-border cooperation with neighbouring countries and to promote the harmonious socio-economic development of border areas for the well-being of the populations living there.
Phase 2, covers the period 2029-2033 and is an extension of the first phase. It will take into account the results achieved in the first phase, as well as the lessons learned from the mid-term evaluation and the evolution of border issues at the regional and continental levels.
The Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff recalled that the Ivorian state has already taken action to enable a viable socio-economic space at the borders, with social projects for young people and populations in fragile areas.
He pointed out that border management is a complex issue that requires all the intelligence to be put in synergy at the level of the population, the institutions of the republic, the communities and international organizations to identify the dimensions of this management and have an approach that allows for the expected results.
The process of developing the National Integrated Border Management Policy of Cote d’Ivoire began on May 27, 2021.
The personalities of the public and private sectors, as well as those of civil society organisations that have contributed to the implementation of the action plan of this policy, have received certificates.
AP/fss/as/APA