6 June 2011, 06:00 p.m.

The African Union Border Program (AUBP) of the Peace and Security Department (PSD) of the African Union Commission (AUC) will celebrate the first African Union Border Day at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday 07 June 2011. The theme of the day is: 'Uniting and integrating Africa through peaceful, open and prosperous borders'.

Aim

African Ministers in charge of border issues adopted 7 June as a day to popularize and accentuate the African Union Border Programme in promoting peace, regional and continental integration.

The day will also be used to sensitize member States, African border populations, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), civil societies and academics on border issues.

Maiden Event

Celebrations will be attended by the Commissioner of Peace and Security, Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, Ambassadors of AU Member States, representatives of diplomatic missions in Addis Ababa, representatives of Regional Economic Communities, partners, heads of international organizations, representatives of civil society  organizations, staff members of the AUC, and invited guests.

For this event an interesting and colorful program has been put together:

• Official address by Ambassador Ramatana Lamamra
• A panel discussion on ‘Reflections on African Borders: Multiple Perspectives’
• The launch of the AU Border Program documentary titled 'African Borders: from barriers to bridges'.  
• A choreographic performance on ‘Dancing across borders’
• A photo exhibition on ‘The making of African borders’

About AUBP

The African Union Border Programme (AUBP)was established by African leaders in January 2007 at the 8^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States and Government of the African Union.In June 2007, the African Ministers in charge of border issues adopted the Declaration on the African Union Border Programme (AUBP) and its Implementation Modalities. 

The mission of the AUBP is to prevent and resolve border-related disputes and to promote regional and continental integration, which constitute a tool in the structural prevention of conflicts in Africa. It aims to do this by facilitating and supporting the delimitation and demarcation of African boundaries where such exercise has not yet taken place; reinforcing the integration process, within the framework of the RECs and other large-scale cooperation initiatives; developing, within the framework of the RECs and other regional integration initiatives, local cross-border cooperation; building the capacities of member states in border management, as well as in border studies and research; and advising the Commission and other organs of the African Union on border-related matters.

African Borders: From Barriers to Bridges

The 24-minute-long film African Borders: From Barriers to Bridges was produced by the Ethiopian Film Initiative and its co-production partner, Haile-Addis Pictures, for the African Union Border Programme to mark the Africa Border Day. It was shot in a number of countries including Burkina Faso, Mali, Malawi and Zambia.

The documentary tells the story of African borders through the everyday lives of the people who live around them. The film also shows how the African Union is working to create a united and integrated Africa with peaceful, open and prosperous borders.

The camera work was carried out by Zeresenay Mehari and Yidnekachew Shumete. Yemane Tsegaye was the assistant producer and the film was edited by Daniel Debebe.  The film was directed and produced by Keith Bowers and Ragnhild Ek.

It was financed by GIZ on behalf of the German government.