In a major boost to Intra- Africa trade, Burkina Faso and Ghana have signed a free roaming agreement.
The Agreement which was signed recently in Ouagadougou is intended to allow users in both countries to use their mobile phones at local rates when travelling across borders,
The signing ceremony, organised by the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts (ARCEP), marks an important step in the desire of both States to improve the accessibility and integration of their telecommunications services. ARCEP’s Executive Secretary, Patrice Compaoré, indicated that technical teams and operators were involved throughout the process to ensure effective implementation. According to him, the elimination of the roaming charge will allow Burkinabè travellers in Ghana, as well as Ghanaian nationals in Burkina Faso, to communicate at rates similar to those charged in their countries of origin.
Mr. Compaoré stressed that this agreement will help strengthen bilateral cooperation by facilitating exchanges and communication between the two peoples.
For her part, the Minister of Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications Of Burkinabe, Dr. Aminata Zerbo/Sabane, announced that this initiative will soon be extended to Mali and then to Niger, in partnership with Ghana. She noted that Burkina Faso already benefits from free roaming with AES countries as well as with Togo, and that these efforts are part of a dynamic of continuous improvement of connectivity in the sub-region. The minister praised the work done by the teams involved, which made it possible to reach the signing of the agreement.
