Border Communities Leading the Way to Peace and Development
Along the 800-kilometre Benin–Nigeria border, tensions over farmland risked escalating as boundary indicators were introduced. In response, three dialogue platforms were established, aligned with the linguistic and cultural identities of the Boo, Baatonu, and Yoruba communities.
When border communities take the lead, fragile frontiers can transform from zones of tension into bridges of peace and opportunity. Across West Africa and East Africa, from dialogue platforms in Benin and Nigeria to cross-regional exchanges in Uganda, local voices are proving central to conflict prevention, economic growth, and cooperation. Placing people at the heart of border governance is emerging as a key factor for lasting stability.
This people-centred approach goes beyond drawing lines on maps. It focuses on building trust, encouraging cooperation, and fostering shared prosperity. Recent initiatives in West Africa illustrate how empowered local communities can drive stability and sustainable development. Unresolved boundaries often spark disputes over land, resources, and identity. Along the 800-kilometre Benin–Nigeria border, tensions over farmland risked escalating as physical markers were introduced. In response, three dialogue platforms were established, aligned with the linguistic and cultural identities of the Boo, Baatonu, and Yoruba communities. These platforms now serve as confidence-building mechanisms, enabling regular exchanges, joint conflict management, and stronger social cohesion.
Dialogue efforts are reinforced by three memoranda of understanding between Nigeria and Benin. Beyond formal agreements, these memoranda symbolise the institutionalisation of the process and demonstrate that member states are taking ownership of peaceful border governance. By aligning leadership from ECOWAS, national commitment, and local participation, the initiatives anchor regional political will in community realities and create a stronger foundation for stability.
The impact of dialogue extends beyond a single border. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana built on last year’s exchanges to address cross-border security challenges, agreeing in late September on concrete steps to strengthen security networks, improve information sharing, manage pastoralism and illegal mining, build the capacity of border stakeholders, and establish crisis response procedures. This framework provides a basis for coordinated action in the Bounkani region of Côte d’Ivoire and the Savannah region of Ghana, reinforcing security while protecting mobility and trade.
Peace also relies on tangible economic opportunity. In the Benin–Nigeria region, 25 female soya processors received training in product diversification, hygiene, and food safety. By enhancing local value chains, they can generate sustainable income, reduce competition over scarce resources, and ease underlying community tensions.
Through these initiatives, local communities are not only shaping their own futures but also demonstrating that people-centred border governance can be a powerful driver of peace, development, and regional cooperation.