The third edition of the Abidjan Border Forum (ABF) opened on October 20, 2026, at the Parc des Expositions in Abidjan, Port-Bouët. The forum, presided over by Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé on behalf of President Alassane Ouattara, aims to make African borders spaces for cooperation, integration, and shared development. The event brings together politicians, diplomats, and experts to discuss ways to balance security, free movement, and people-to-people relations.
Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé emphasized the need to prioritize the populations living in border areas when designing public policies. He stated that borders should be spaces for rapprochement, cooperation, and shared development, rather than isolation. Mambé highlighted the importance of a border governance approach that considers social, economic, and cultural realities of concerned communities, beyond security considerations.
The forum's theme, "Peoples on the Borders: Culture, Integration, and Security," focuses on historical, familial, cultural, and economic ties that unite populations living on either side of African borders. Mambé stressed that securing border areas cannot be limited to reinforcing controls, but must also include measures to improve access to essential services, create economic opportunities, and enhance living conditions, particularly for young people.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, President of the African Union Commission, called on states to remove obstacles hindering cross-border exchanges. He emphasized the importance of respecting national sovereignty while ensuring that borders do not hinder historical relations and exchanges between peoples. Youssouf recommended modernizing border posts, simplifying administrative procedures, and strengthening cooperation between neighboring countries.
The Swiss Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, Dominique Favre, announced that his country will continue to support the management of Ivoirian borders. Switzerland plans to approve financing for the third phase of the "Border Management in Côte d'Ivoire" project, implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and Security and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
The project's new phase aims to strengthen the capacities of national institutions and implement the national integrated border management policy. This support is part of a dynamic to consolidate institutional and operational mechanisms necessary for more effective, coordinated, and sustainable border management. The forum's Commissioner General, Dr. Diakalidia Konaté, emphasized the need to transform discussions into concrete actions.
The Abidjan Border Forum, which runs until October 22, 2026, brings together over 2,000 delegates and actors involved in border governance. The discussions aim to produce operational recommendations around three main axes: culture, regional integration, and security. The previous editions, held in 2022 and 2024, focused on collective security and border management.
Key points
- The Swiss government has announced new financing to support Côte d'Ivoire's border management.
- The Abidjan Border Forum aims to promote cooperation and integration among border communities.
- The forum's discussions focus on balancing security, free movement, and people-to-people relations.
