Socio-economic dynamics of the rural commune of Fakola within an integrated "borderland" area

Abstract

The issue of borders quickly became a central topic of discussion among the new political and administrative authorities of African states in the aftermath of independence. The colonial powers, in line with their policy of divide and rule, separated populations that often belonged to the same socio-cultural areas. As a result, the management of borders created by colonisation became a source of inter-state conflict and, as such, a governance challenge for the young independent states. Borders have an impact on the economic, social and cultural life of the populations living in these areas. The complexity of managing border areas has led some analysts to create the concept of ‘border countries’. The objective of this study is to analyse the socio-economic dynamics of the rural commune of Fakola, a region belonging to a ‘border country’. The objective of this study is to analyse the socio-economic dynamics of the rural municipality of Fakola, an area belonging to a ‘border region’. The methodology consists of a literature review, which provided an overview of existing knowledge on the subject, and field investigations to collect qualitative data from key informants. The results reveal that borders have rarely been a constraint on the socio-economic development of border areas or on the well-being of populations. Concerted cross-border governance can enable better exploitation of resources, leading to the creation of an integrated.