Niger and Burkina Faso signed on July 10 a cooperation agreement to manage their common borders, official sources revealed.

The two countries seek to set a framework that promotes cross-border cooperation between local authorities. The framework covers security, civil protection, education, health, the environment, natural resource management and agriculture. It is expected to ease development projects being implemented in the border regions of the two countries most affected by terrorism and inter-community violence in West Africa.

This new project, which will reduce the risk of conflict in focus areas, is part of a perspective of integration and effort pooling in the sub-region. “These populations, from now on, belong to two States that share a common life, a common development and prospects for the future. There will be the integration of these communities,” said the Minister of Home Affairs of Niger, Ankourao Kala

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou