The Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh says her outfit will rely on the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping and Training Centre for thought leadership on peace and security issues during COP27.

“We will turn to centres like the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping and Training Centre as a major source of thought leadership on matters relating to peace and security and thinking through the incidence and intensity of conflicts, patterns of conflicts, and the root causes including the cyclical challenges that we see with state fragility and political transitions.

“We will be increasingly turning to KAIPTC to help our continent to think through the challenges confronting us today. And to this important and difficult task, my office is committed to working with you Commandant,” she stated.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union who spoke at the 2^nd edition of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum held at the KAIPTC in Teshie, Accra on Wednesday stated that the event, which will be held in Egypt next year, offers an opportunity to focus on African sustainable solutions.

“I would like to pay tribute to Egypt which will host COP27 next year and state that it provides an added opportunity to focus on African pathways to adaptation and sustainable development including in the Sahel Region.

“And I mention this because Climate Change is a significant driver of conflict. This COP27 coming to take place in Africa will offer an opportunity for creative thinking on inclusive climate governance-related issues with the multiple effects at the local regional and continental levels,” she said, December 8.

According to Hanna Tetteh, the KAIPTC’s contribution to peace and security on the continent cannot be overlooked, thus its contribution to the COP27 would be immeasurable.

She assured the KAIPTC of her commitment to working with them to ensure peace and stability across the continent.

She added that “I would like to thank you for the opportunity to underscore the United Nation’s commitment to peace, security, and development on our continent through our partnership with the African Union and partnership with the Regional Economic Communities and regional mechanisms across our continent.”

About the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum

The Kofi Annan Peace and Security (KAPS) Forum was initiated in 2019 as an annual event to bring together political leaders, diplomats, scholars and experts to dialogue and take steps to address contemporary peace and security issues on the African continent.

The KAPS Forum was established in honour of the memory of Kofi Annan for dedicating his working life to the cause of global peace and security

The 2022 edition of the forum will adopt a hybrid format and focus on the theme: ‘Democracy in the Context of Complex Crises in West Africa’.