Series: Stability and livelihood challenges in the borderlands of Coastal West Africa
- Cross-border trade is vital to the livelihoods of communities in the Sahel and Coastal West Africa
- Insecurity and border restrictions have squeezed communities, worsening already-difficult ways of living and impacting Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana
- Jihadist groups use both licit and illicit supply chains to access resources, but largely do not control them
- Governments should work closely with border communities to ensure clear communication, community protection, and avoid problems with security forces
This series of reports was originally published by XCEPT.
Communities in the borderlands of Coastal West Africa are part of a complex cross-border socio-economic network, one that is threatened by both violent extremist organisations and government responses to them.
The lives of people in the communities of the borderlands of Coastal West Africa are not bound by formal lines on a map. Rather, these communities create and depend on complex cross-border socio-economic activities and networks, which are increasingly threatened by violent extremist organisations and state responses to these groups. These efforts, if not managed properly, could engender further expansion of violent extremists.
This research project aims to inform more holistic, conflict-sensitive programming that facilitates integrated security, development, and diplomatic responses to fragility risks. It investigates how people conduct trade in Coastal West Africa’s borderlands and how instability at the border impacts cross-border trade and livelihoods.
The report draws on mixed-methods research, combining qualitative and quantitative field research conducted in the borderlands of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Togo.
The report comprises a summary chapter and four chapters, each focused on the fieldwork from a particular area of the borderlands of Coastal West Africa.
Summary chapter: explaining the research methodology, summarising the main findings from across all chapters, and offering considerations for policy and programming responses
Chapter 1: Northern Ghana, northern Togo, and southern Burkina Faso border areas
Chapter 2: Northern Côte d’Ivoire and Ghanaian border region
Chapter 3: Northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso border region
