Cross-border Cooperation and Management of Border Regions in Burkina Faso

This paper appraised the role of AUBP in facilitating cross-border cooperation and its response to support effective border management in the border regions of Burkina Faso. While much is known about the devastating impacts of activities in these border regions, significant gaps remain in the literature-most glaringly, from an academic point of view-on how AUBP foster cross-border cooperation and border management in the region. Focusing on Burkina Faso border regions with Mali and Niger, known as Central Sahel sub-region of West Africa, the study found that the AUBP is a great tool that contributes to cross-border cooperation at the border regions, characterized by isolation from the central state, a shortage of basic social services and lacking management of natural resources. However, the study argued that the AUBP goal to turn borders from barriers into bridges has benefits, as well as challenges that must be addressed through joint border management mechanism. As such, this study is a contribution to policy makers, national governments, regional and international organizations on fostering cross-border cooperation, with effective, and integrated border management.