West African (WA) leaders have been urged to adopt a common security framework to combat the growing threats of terrorism, violent extremism, and transnational organised crime in the sub-region.
President John Dramani Mahama made the call last Friday during the High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security in Accra. He cautioned that fragmented security approaches would undermine efforts to effectively tackle terrorism, violent extremism, and transnational organised crime.
Describing terrorism as an “existential threat” to the sub-region, President Mahama stressed that the current moment demanded deeper collaboration and cooperation among West African states.
Speaking at the Summit of Heads of State and Government at the conference, the President warned that peace, stability, and prosperity in West Africa could not be achieved through isolated efforts, noting that insecurity in one country inevitably spills across borders.
He explained that the Accra conference, initiated by Ghana, was aimed at rebuilding consensus, restoring confidence, and drawing all countries in the region into a renewed cooperative effort against insecurity, while respecting national sovereignty and political choices.
Addressing the interconnected security challenges, President Mahama said an integrated approach was required—one that combines human security, preventive diplomacy, and collective resilience.
The President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, also warned that terrorism in West Africa had entered a dangerous phase, with armed groups actively seeking to dismantle states rather than merely test their resilience.
President Bio, who chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said fragmented and reactive responses were no longer acceptable. He called for strengthened intelligence sharing, improved mobility and logistics, and more coordinated regional operations.
Liberia’s President, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, described recent developments in Niger as a “rude awakening” and pledged Liberia’s full support for the regional security initiative.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, warned that West Africa had become the global epicentre of terrorism and violent extremism, with at least eight attacks recorded daily, claiming an average of 44 lives.
Mr Ablakwa said the conference agreed on the establishment of a permanent cooperation framework to strengthen intelligence sharing, border security, and counter-terrorism efforts, while shifting towards a human security and climate-resilient approach to restore regional stability.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
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