The French government on 29th November 2013 handed over the true and complete copies of 45 Agreements relating to African borders to the African Union Commission. The maps and plans are a collection of documents signed by France between 1845 and 1956. It is hoped that this move could resolve some of the continent’s border disagreements between countries
Africa has 80,000 km of borders, but only 30 per cent are precisely demarcated and this has been a source of disagreement among many countries on the continent, including Tanzania – Malawi, Ethiopia – Eritrea among others.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui expressed the conviction that the documents submitted will contribute significantly to the border conflict resolution in the continent.
