President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged global leaders to fully implement Chapters Seven and Eight of the UN Charter and provide substantial support to Africa in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
Akufo-Addo pointed out that despite economic challenges in ECOWAS Member States, eleven out of fifteen Member States have expressed their readiness to confront terrorists more effectively if empowered.
He made a noteworthy comparison, stating that the conflict in Ukraine has received substantial financial support, including $73.6 billion from the United States, $138.8 billion from the European Union, and $14.5 billion from the United Kingdom. In contrast, the security assistance provided by the US, the EU, and the UK to ECOWAS totaled only $29.6 million.
President Akufo-Addo emphasized that with adequate support, West African troops could drive terrorists out of West Africa and the Sahel region, illustrating the potential of indigenous efforts like the Accra Initiative.
Speaking on “Democracy and Security in West Africa” at the United States Institute of Peace’s Programme on Governance and Peace in Washington D.C., he discussed the origins of terrorism in West Africa, tracing it back to the Middle East, Libya, and its expansion towards the coastal states of West Africa.
He also highlighted the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected developing countries and exacerbated economic difficulties, making it more challenging to mobilize resources to combat terrorism in the region. President Akufo-Addo stressed the urgent need for multilateral cooperation to preserve peace and democracy in the face of these pressing challenges.
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