In a recent address at the United States Institute of Peace’s Programme on Governance and Peace, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo underscored the potential of West African forces to combat terrorism without international military intervention. He highlighted the “Accra Initiative” as an epitome of regional self-reliance.
According to a report by Graphic Online, Akufo-Addo pressed for global leaders to harness the stipulations in chapters seven and eight of the UN Charter. These provisions, he emphasised, could bolster Africa’s counterterrorism efforts.
Despite the economic hurdles the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) faces, Akufo-Addo noted that the region’s four military-led nations, currently suspended, have expressed a readiness to confront terrorists with the right resources.
Drawing a parallel, Akufo-Addo mentioned that the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict has garnered significant financial backing from the US, EU, and UK, cumulatively exceeding $200 billion. In contrast, these entities’ security aid to ECOWAS is a mere $29.6 million.
The president voiced concern over the increasing displacement in the Sahel due to escalating security threats. He pointed out that Africa, particularly following the setbacks terrorists faced globally, is fast becoming a hotbed for extremist factions. He mentioned that the pandemic’s economic repercussions have further strained African nations, amplifying their challenges in curbing domestic terrorism.
Akufo-Addo highlighted the urgency for collaborative efforts. “If we neglect our commitment to fortify peace and democracy globally, we risk inhabiting a more perilous world today and tomorrow,” he asserted.
Tracing the origins of West African terrorism, Akufo-Addo explained that these groups sought refuge in Libya after being pushed out of the Middle East and Afghanistan. Following the fall of Gaddafi, their influence permeated eastward and southward, targeting the coastal nations of West Africa.
