Africa Border Day 2011

The African Border Day was celebrated on 7th of June 2011 at the African Union with the screening of 'African Borders: From Barriers to Bridges', a 24-minute-long documentary, telling 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.

'African Borders: From Barriers to Bridges'

The Ethiopian Film Initiative and its co-production partner, Haile-Addis Pictures, have just completed a documentary film for the African Union about borders on the continent. The film is called 'African Borders: From Barriers to Bridges' and was produced for the African Union Border Programme (AUBP) to be shown in Addis Ababa by the African Union on 7 June to mark African Border Day.

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.

It was shot in a number of countries including Burkina Faso VigRX, Mali, Malawi and Zambia.

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.

The documentary was financed by GIZ on behalf of the German government.

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The African Border Day

The first African Border Day is celebrated on 7 June 2011 under the theme 'Uniting and integrating Africa through peaceful, open and prosperous borders'.

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 is also aimed to sensitize member States, African border populations, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), civil societies and academics on border issues.

The African Union Border Programme (AUBP)was established by African leaders in January 2007 at the 8th 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.