The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), in collaboration with the Japanese government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has announced a one-year project to boost security in West Africa.

The Project is dubbed “Support to strengthen capacities for promoting efficiency in the implementation of the Accra Initiative (AI) in West Africa and the Sahel”.

This initiative comes as the Sahel region faces a worsening security situation, marked by a rise in terrorism, civilian casualties, and displacement.

The Project seeks to contribute to strengthening the capacity and collaboration on the Accra Initiative among its member states and with civil society organisations to be able to tackle peace and security threats including violent extremism in the region, while also promoting community resilience.

The 2023 Global Terrorism Index identifies the Sahel as the epicentre of global terrorism, with nearly half of all terror-related deaths originating there.

Launched in 2017 by Ghana during its Chairmanship of ECOWAS, the Accra Initiative aims to prevent the spillover of terrorism from the Sahel into coastal West African nations.

Through intelligence-sharing and coordinated border security, the initiative seeks to address transnational organized crime and violent extremism.

Speaking at the launch of the programme, the Director of the Women, Peace Youth and Security Institute, Patience Agyare-Kwabi who spoke on behalf of the Commandant of KAIPTC said the proliferation of transnational organised criminal groups, recurrent coups, and the increasing expansion of violent extremist groups across contiguous borders in West Africa and the Sahel presents an imminent threat to peace and security in the region.

She said, “The casualties caused by violent extremists in the Sahel have increased fourfold since 2016 with youth and women being among the most affected by the situation.

"Terrorist attacks and the spread of violent extremism have forced around two million persons to leave their original areas for secure areas in Burkina Faso with a humanitarian issue for those Internally displaced persons (IDPs)”.  

She said the Accra Initiative represents a critical step towards enhancing regional security cooperation.

UNDP Ghana Resident Representative, Dr. Angela Lusigi said It is not a secret that despite its noble objectives, the implementation of the Accra Initiative faces significant challenges.

She said there is a need to address gaps in information regarding its structure, decision-making processes, and civilian involvement.  

She stated “The ambition is high and the scale of the task at hand demands additional financial resources and robust support for all member states: Ghana, Benin Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria.

"This is why UNDP is proud to be part of this initiative in collaboration with KAIPTC and with funding from the Japanese government.

"The project we are launching today is a truly collaborative effort aimed at supporting the effective implementation of the Accra Initiative across the seven signatory states and one observer state (Nigeria)”

On his part, the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Hisanobu Mochizuki said Japan will provide approximately $500 million over the next three years to contribute to peace and stability as well as promote sustainable growth in the Sahel region and neighbouring Gulf of Guinea coastal countries.

He said, “We are all aware of the growing threat posed by terrorism in the Sahel and West Africa. The increasing activities of extremist groups and the spillover have serious consequences for regional stability and global security as well.

He further stated that “Japan recognizes the urgency of the situation in the Sahel and in response to this deteriorating situation, Prime Minister Kishida announced last year during a visit to Ghana that Japan will provide approximately $500 million over the next three years to contribute to peace and stability and promote sustainable growth in the Sahel region and neighbouring Gulf of Guinea coastal countries”.

He said that Japan has also had extensive discussions and consultations with the Ministry of National Security, the Boundary Commission and the Small Arms Commission.

In addition to the projects through the UNDP and the KAIPTC, Japan is considering additional support such as grant assistance and technical cooperation by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency).

National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah called on all West African countries to use an all-hands-on-deck approach to deal with the terror threats spilling down from the Sahel.