Ghana and Burkina Faso have strengthened bilateral defence and security cooperation with the signing of a Defence Cooperation Agreement aimed at providing security and escort support along vital cross-border trade corridors between the two countries.
The agreement was signed by Ghana’s Acting Minister for Defence, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, and Burkina Faso’s Minister of State and Minister of War and Patriotic Defence, Major General Célestin Simporé, at The Square in Accra. The agreement seeks to safeguard critical supply routes, protect cross-border trade and strengthen defence ties between the two neighbouring countries.
The signing comes after Ghana announced a series of sweeping security measures in response to the terrorist attack on Ghanaian tomato traders in Titao, Burkina Faso, which claimed eight lives and left several others injured. Three of the injured traders were subsequently airlifted to Ghana for treatment at the 37 Military Hospital.
Among the measures outlined by the Ministry of Defence was the establishment of Forward Operating Bases at Jirapa and Hamile to position military personnel closer to the northern border. The proposed bases were intended to improve surveillance of cross-border movements and enable the rapid deployment of personnel in the event of security threats.
The Ministry also announced plans to deepen cross-border security cooperation with neighbouring countries, particularly Burkina Faso, through joint training, coordinated escort operations, patrols and intelligence sharing. The latest Defence Cooperation Agreement therefore provides a framework for advancing this aspect of Ghana’s broader security response.
As part of the proposed measures, Ghana was also expected to intensify surveillance along key border corridors through increased patrols and enhanced monitoring capabilities. The approach was designed to strengthen the detection of suspicious movements and prevent possible infiltration by terrorist elements, while complementing the planned Forward Operating Bases.
The security strategy further included specialised training for selected military personnel in intelligence, escort operations and strategic planning. The training was intended to strengthen the capacity of the Ghana Armed Forces to assess emerging threats, coordinate responses and undertake preventive operations, particularly in areas considered vulnerable to terrorist activity.
Ghana also announced plans to expand its international security coordination through the deployment of Defence Attachés to six countries identified as having heightened security concerns — Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Israel, Iran and Libya. The attachés were expected to serve as liaison officers, monitor regional security developments and facilitate measures to protect Ghanaian citizens and interests abroad.
The new agreement with Burkina Faso comes within this broader policy response, with the security of the northern trade corridor emerging as a key priority. By formalising cooperation on security and escort support, the two countries are seeking to strengthen coordination around the movement of traders, goods and essential supplies across their shared trade routes.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Gyenfi; the Chief Director of the Ministry, Emmanuel Kartey; the Burkina Faso Ambassador to Ghana, David Kabre; and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong. Directors of the Ministry, heads of various directorates of the Ghana Armed Forces and members of the Burkinabè delegation were also present.
The agreement marks a further step in Ghana’s response to the changing security environment along its northern frontier, particularly the threat posed by terrorism to cross-border commerce. It also reinforces efforts to translate the security measures announced following the Titao attack into coordinated bilateral action with Burkina Faso.
Related Posts
