Côte d’Ivoire and Mali have achieved a major diplomatic and technical milestone in defining their shared border. This landmark advancement is set to provide a stronger framework for managing border areas, particularly concerning rural land tenure, seasonal livestock movement (transhumance), and population mobility.
According to an official press release issued on Wednesday, August 26, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali have formally adopted the final tracing of their shared border and validated the draft delimitation treaty.
The adoption took place following the conclusion of proceedings of the Joint Technical Commission for Border Demarcation, which convened Ivorian and Malian experts in Bamako from August 21 to 25. During these meetings, both delegations also validated the core baseline framework, which will serve as the official reference point for upcoming demarcation operations and the placement of border markers.
This progress builds directly upon the joint technical reconnaissance mission conducted in April 2026 in the border areas of Pogo (Côte d’Ivoire) and Zégoua (Mali). It represents a critical step forward in clarifying and physicalizing the shared boundary, particularly in sections where interpretations had previously diverged.
Addressing Land Rights & Population Mobility
Authorities emphasized that border delimitation extends far beyond drawing a line on a map. Borderlands are complex ecosystems facing critical challenges related to rural land management, transhumance routes, relations between farmers and pastoralists, and the daily mobility of local populations.
The formalized delimitation is expected to bolster border security, strengthen bilateral cooperation, consolidate stability across border zones, and foster collaborative management of shared territories in alignment with UNOWAS regional peace objectives and broader West African cross-border integration initiatives.
“Côte d’Ivoire and Mali are thus moving forward together toward better-defined and better-managed borders—borders that serve peace, integration, and the development of border populations.”
According to Ivorian authorities, both parties are now expected to formally sign the border delimitation treaty and begin implementing the operational baseline framework before the end of 2026.