Ghana and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in the fight against organised crime, terrorism, violent extremism, drug trafficking and other transnational security threats.

The commitment was made during a meeting between Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), and the Minister for Justice and Security of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. David Van Weel, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra.

Welcoming the Dutch delegation, Hon. Ablakwa highlighted the longstanding and productive relationship between Ghana and the Netherlands, noting that the partnership has delivered significant results across several areas over the years.

He, however, raised concerns about emerging security challenges confronting Ghana and the West African region, including violent extremism, organised crime, drug trafficking, money laundering and illicit financial flows.

The Foreign Affairs Minister particularly pointed to the growing threat of synthetic drug abuse among Ghanaian youth, describing it as a major national security concern. He reaffirmed government’s commitment to tackling the challenge through stronger law enforcement and preventive measures.

Hon. Ablakwa stressed that criminal networks operate beyond national borders and therefore require coordinated international responses involving law enforcement agencies, justice institutions and foreign ministries.

He expressed appreciation to the Netherlands for its continued support, including assistance in strengthening Ghana’s border management systems through the provision of modern security screening equipment at the country’s ports of entry.

According to him, Ghana’s upcoming chairmanship of the African Union presents an opportunity to promote stronger continental cooperation against transnational organised crime through intelligence sharing, harmonised legal frameworks and deeper partnerships between Africa and Europe.

For his part, H.E. David Van Weel commended the growing cooperation between Ghana and the Netherlands, particularly following the successful High-Level Consultative Conference on the Next Steps to the Landmark United Nations Resolution on the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans.

He noted that both countries share common concerns over organised crime, terrorism, violent extremism and illicit financial flows, and called for the institutionalisation of bilateral dialogue through a more permanent cooperation framework.

The Dutch Minister also welcomed closer collaboration between Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Netherlands’ Ministry of Justice and Security, describing the partnership between diplomacy and justice institutions as critical to advancing shared security objectives.

At the end of the meeting, the two ministers signed a Letter of Intent reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation in addressing organised crime, terrorism, violent extremism, drug trafficking and related transnational threats.

The two sides agreed to continue discussions towards establishing a more structured mechanism for bilateral security cooperation.