Ghana’s Minister for Defence has urged leaders in the ECOWAS sub-region to respect term-limits so as to ensure the survival of democracy.

Mr Dominic Nitiwul said events within the ECOWAS sub-region over the last four years showed that governance issues were put into the front burner.

The Minister for Defence, speaking at the closing ceremony of the 3rd Kofi Annan Peace and Security (KAPS) Forum organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra, urged West Africans to let their voices be heard “on the demand for good governance”.

The two-day forum, on the theme: “Migration and Societal Resilience in a Multipolar World Order: Addressing Conflicts and Building Peace in Africa,” brought together over 200 delegates, including former African Heads of State and Government, high-level diplomats, and other participants from governmental and intergovernmental organisations.

Delegates included representatives of security sector institutions and policy and research think tanks, development partners, training institutions, business leaders and other groups such as journalists, youth activists, and women’s groups.

President Akufo-Addo was the Guest of Honour with other special guests including Mr Boni Yayi, former President, Republic of Benin; Mr Hailemariam Dessalegn Boshe, former Prime Minister, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Mrs. Fatoumata C.M. Jallow Tambajang, former Vice President, Republic of The Gambia; Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor, former Vice President, Republic of Liberia.

The rest were H.E. Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Chairman of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC); Ms. Hanna Serwaah Tetteh, Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa; Mr Charles Abani, UN Resident Coordinator, Ghana and Madam Mme. Fatou Diallo Ndiaye, Chief of Mission, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, International Organization for Migration (IOM) among other Ambassadors and High Commissioners of KAIPTC’s partner countries.

Mr Nitwul said good governance would ensure rapid development which would ultimately lead to increased development and jobs for the youth thereby reducing migration.

He said despite the challenges of migration, it was important to build capacities to mitigate migration related conflicts in Africa.

The Defence Minister said capacities of African states to address the phenomenon of migration and related challenges would be dependent on establishing governance structures that were effective, responsive and sought to reduce poverty and unemployment, especially among the youth.

“At the same time, robust structures that can mitigate the effects of climate change, drought and flooding should be given utmost attention as a way of building resilient communities and states,” he said.

To this end, the Defence Minister urged regional, continental and global institutions to redouble their efforts in developing and supporting strategic initiatives to minimise the challenges.

Mr Nitwul said, “…I would also like to encourage practitioners and decision-makers like me and all others, to find the means to implement the key policy recommendations.”

He commended the Commandant of KAIPTC, Major General Richard Addo Gyane and the Executive Management of the Centre “for the conduct of yet another successful KAPS Forum on the important subject of migration amd societal resilience.”

Major General Richard Addo Gyane, Commandant, KAIPTC, earlier at the opening of the forum, said the theme, which focused on migration, was highly relevant in the region as it strived to deepen its continental free trade area and the regional integration agenda in Africa, given the emerging multipolar world order.

He said violent extremism, political instability and climate change constituted the three major threats that continue to accentuate the rate and pattern of migration in Africa.

Maj. Gen. Gyane said forced and irregular migration from the continent had become a disturbing tragedy, driving African youth to take dangerous routes on the desert and the sea to escape from equally depressing and austere conditions at home.

That, the Commandant said, was exacerbated by the fact that the power centre of the global world order appeared to be shifting in multiple directions, especially involving influential non-state actors.

The Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum was instituted as a special tribute to the memory of the late Mr Kofi Annan — a global icon who championed peace, human rights, and inclusive societies.