German Ambassador to Ghana, Ambassador Landshöft, has visited Bawku and Kulungugu in the Upper East Region to assess conditions along Ghana’s northern border and explore areas for deeper cooperation on security and resilience.
The visit formed part of the Ambassador’s journey towards Ghana’s borders with Burkina Faso and Togo, taking him through Bawku, where the effects of years of conflict remain visible.
The Ambassador observed closed public buildings and a strong presence of security personnel in the town. He also noted that only women were seen riding motorbikes through Bawku during the visit.
Despite the visible signs of the conflict, he said the town appeared calm, with the relative quiet of recent months and ongoing mediation efforts providing cautious hope for a return to normalcy.
He said there was hope that Bawku could once again become a thriving centre of trade linking northern Ghana with neighbouring countries.
The Ambassador subsequently visited Kulungugu, Ghana’s border crossing with Burkina Faso, where he observed some of the security and logistical challenges confronting Ghana’s northern borders.
The area has open terrain with few natural barriers, while communities on both sides of the border have maintained longstanding social and economic connections through formal and informal routes.
The visit also highlighted concerns over the proximity of insecurity and violent extremism in the Sahel to Ghana’s northern borders.
Together with officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ambassador Landshöft visited the official border crossing, drove along patrol routes and observed some of the unapproved routes used across the border.
The delegation also inspected facilities ranging from makeshift shelters to protected observation cabins, providing an insight into the conditions under which security personnel operate along the long and open border.
Ambassador Landshöft expressed appreciation to GIS officers for their professionalism and commitment, as well as the Ghana Armed Forces, Customs Division and other security agencies for their cooperation.
Germany, he said, is working with partners across northern Ghana to strengthen resilience, create economic opportunities and deepen security cooperation.
He added that discussions during the visit also explored areas where the cooperation could be expanded.
According to the Ambassador, the experiences in Bawku and Kulungugu demonstrate the close relationship between security and economic development, with security creating space for economic opportunity while resilient communities contribute to sustaining security.
