Ouagadougou: The Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Security (MATDS) is holding a two-day workshop this Monday in Ziniairé with the aim of reflecting on the delimitation of territorial administrative entities that can help to curb conflicts and tensions around land.The reflection, led by the General Directorate of Territorial Administration (DGAT), is being carried out with the heads of administrative districts and the decentralized technical services of the State concerned by the question and will ultimately make it possible to map all the entities administrative authorities of the country.The different administrative divisions of the territory carried out in Burkina Faso have always just defined the territorial jurisdiction of the administrative entities without any definition of their limits.This non-demarcation is sometimes a source of conflicts between certain administrative entities, thus undermining peace and social cohesion. These attempts to encroach on territorial lim its by the leaders of certain entities often affect social cohesion and peace. This justifies the issues linked to the exploitation of natural resources or the creation of infrastructure likely to generate income. 'For example, a project to build a depot by SONABHY is in arrears because the property rights of the installation site are claimed by the municipality of Nagréongo, in the Central Plateau and that of Saaba in the Center region. » Confided, to illustrate the importance of having clearly defined limits between administrative entities, Madam Governor of the Central Plateau, Sy Assétou BARRY/TRAORE who chaired this framework of reflection bringing together the heads of administrative districts and those responsible for decentralized services in the region.Also, to overcome land-related conflicts between local authorities in the context of certain investments, the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Security (MATDS) plans to delimit administrative entities. Through the delimita tion and marking of the limits of administrative entities through the consensual identification of precise benchmarks, the MATDS expects an improvement in local governance with the aim of strengthening living together in the territories thus demarcated.'It is in this perspective that the delimitation of territorial administrative entities will constitute a basis for the construction of national identity through the representation that populations have of their territory. It makes it possible to link societies to a territory and a history, encouraging actors to assert themselves and unite their actions for the construction of the Nation-State. It also makes it possible to carry out the decentralization process, in order to guarantee the development of communities,' indicated Mrs. Sy Assétou BARRY/TRAORE to reflect the support of the Central Plateau region, which records cases of conflicts linked to land in areas bordering certain administrative entities, to this delimitation initiative. 'It is clear that adm inistrative boundaries do not always follow customary boundaries, but if the boundaries are known between entities, this will minimize conflicts and allow those in charge to calmly plan development,' she concluded.With the security crisis marked by the displacement of populations from certain villages or even municipalities that the country is going through, Madam Governor wants to be more reassuring by specifying that: "It is not a question after this meeting, of going the days to come on the ground to begin delimitation operations, but rather, an opportunity to reflect on the issue in order to have a base of information and useful elements for the development of a strategy for delimitation of administrative territorial entities'. delimitation is a long process which requires a lot of tact, precautions, consultations and awareness in its implementation.Given the sensitivity of the issue of boundaries, these meetings aim above all to take stock of boundary conflicts between administrative entities, to det ermine an inclusive and participatory approach for a consensual and peaceful delimitation.In simple terms, this delimitation project reflects the desire of the MATDS to clarify the territorial limits of already existing administrative entities and not a project for a new division of the national territory.Before the Central stage, the MATDS puts on the same subject with stakeholders from the Center-South and Center-East.Source: Burkina Information Agency