Ghanian President Seeks Support to Fight Terrorism in West Africa
In an event at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington DC on Thursday 12th October, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana emphasized the necessity for a unified global effort in combating terrorism. He called for a global coalition of democracies stressing the importance of allocating resources to counterterrorism that are on par with the resources possessed by terrorist organizations.
According to Akufo-Addo, Ghana's alliance with Western countries is vital considering the recent surge of military coups in the Sahel. He emphasized the connection between preventing coups, promoting democracy, and fostering development by referencing Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, three nations that have experienced military takeovers.
He further stated that despite the failure to persuade Niger's junta to reinstate their democratically elected leader, the Economic Community of West African States remains significant in its efforts to support the people of West Africa.
“ECOWAS is not just an organization on paper, it has been a very functional, working, dynamic organization, assisting with the problems that members have.”
President Akufo stated that although Ghana has not experienced direct violence from militias, neighboring countries such as Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast have faced attacks near their borders and pointed out that aid for West Africa has been insufficient compared to the assistance provided to Ukraine.
He emphasized that the US aid to Ukraine following the Russian invasion has reached $73.6 billion. In contrast, the combined support from the European Union, United Kingdom, and United States for the West African bloc Ecowas has only reached $29.6 million during the same period and believes that Africa should have a permanent seat, or even two, on the United Nations Security Council.
Additionally, he suggested that veto powers should be eliminated in favor of majority rule to address the issue effectively while stating that African nations should also have a stake in important matters.
