Ziniaré – Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Security (MATDS) has initiated a two-day workshop aimed at clarifying the boundaries of territorial administrative entities to prevent land-related conflicts and enhance social cohesion. This meeting, which began on Monday in Ziniaré, gathers district heads and decentralized state service officials to address the ongoing issues of territorial demarcation.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the workshop’s primary objective is to develop a comprehensive map detailing the precise boundaries of the country’s administrative entities. Historically, the divisions of Burkina Faso’s territory have been defined without clear demarcations, leading to disputes and undermining peace. The lack of clearly established boundaries has frequently resulted in conflicts over natural resources and income-generating infrastructure projects. “For example, a project to build a depot by SONABHY is delayed because the property rights of the installation site are claimed by both the municipality of Nagréongo in the Central Plateau and that of Saaba in the Center region,” explained Sy Assétou Barry/Traore, Governor of the Central Plateau, who chaired the meeting.

The MATDS’s plan involves the delimitation and marking of boundaries through a consensual process that identifies precise landmarks. This initiative is expected to improve local governance and promote unity, helping to build national identity through a sense of shared history and territory. “It is clear that administrative boundaries do not always align with customary boundaries, but if the boundaries are known, this will minimize conflicts and allow for peaceful development planning,” Governor Barry/Traore stated.

The workshop also serves as a platform for discussing the broader implications of boundary clarity, especially given the country’s ongoing security crisis and the resultant population displacements. “This meeting is not about immediately starting demarcation on the ground, but rather reflecting on the issue to develop a strategy for the peaceful and consensual delimitation of administrative territorial entities,” Barry/Traore noted, emphasizing that the delimitation process requires careful consideration, extensive consultations, and awareness-raising due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Prior to the Ziniaré workshop, similar discussions were held with stakeholders from the Center-South and Center-East regions, reflecting a nationwide effort to address boundary conflicts inclusively and participatively.