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Magistrates and Defence and Security Forces (FDS) officers, key actors in the prevention and management of agro-pastoral conflicts, are being trained from 22 to 24 June 2021 in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) to better understand the issues at stake in agro-pastoralism and the rules governing this type of livestock farming.

Coming from the cross-border areas of Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Burkina Faso, these judicial and FDS actors, as well as the heads of national border commissions and representatives of herders and farmers, have an opportunity to be equipped to better know and understand the agro-pastoral sector as well as the various regional, community and national regulations that govern this sub-sector.

This 3-day training course is organised on the joint initiative of ECOWAS, CILSS and GIZ as part of the implementation of the AFD-funded "Elevages et Pastoralisme intégrés et sécurisés en Afrique de l’Ouest (Integrated and Secure Livestock Farming and Pastoralism in West Africa) (PEPISAO) Project, and the African Union Borders Programme, funded by the German Cooperation. It is based on harmonised and consolidated training modules on pastoral land tenure legislation and livestock mobility issues in West Africa.

A total of 40 participants, mainly magistrates, SDFs and National Border Commission officials, will exchange views with leaders of agro-pastoral organisations to learn more about their respective activities and thus build the climate of trust between the different parties gathered.

The training being held in Ouagadougou is not the first to be organised in the sub-region. It is part of the on-going capacity building efforts in support of the judicial and SDF actors.

Several personalities graced with their presence the official opening of this regional meeting which was chaired by Mrs. Madiara SAGNON TOU, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation of Burkina Faso, in charge of Decentralisation. The Minister welcomed the holding of this regional meeting, which is an opportunity for the sub-region to build a critical mass of key players to help prevent and manage agro-pastoral conflicts. The ECOWAS representative, Dr Bio Goura SOULE, the CILSS Executive Secretary, Dr Abdoulaye MOHAMADOU, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Burkina Faso, H.E. Andreas PFAFFERNOSCHKE, and the Permanent Secretary of the Burkina Faso National Borders Commission, Mrs Léontine ZAGRE, welcomed the presence of the various actors at this training session, which will help to raise awareness and, above all, apply the appropriate mechanisms for the prevention and management of agro-pastoral conflicts in the sub-region.