Let’s tackle security threats together… President appeals to African countries

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated the need for a joint and coordinated regional approach in dealing with security threats on the continent.

He said it was imperative for African countries to strengthen their regional mechanisms, improve their cooperation and share information and best practices to create a safer and more secure continent.

“The security landscape in Africa is characterised by a variety of threats that are interconnected and often transcend national borders.

Terrorism and violent extremism, for example, are becoming increasingly widespread in different regions of the continent. From the Sahel to the whole of Africa, terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, al-Shabaab and ISIS-affiliated factions such as Jenin continue to exploit political instability, economic deprivation and social grievances to recruit and radicalize our youth and carry out terrorist attacks,” he stressed.

President Akufo-Addo made the call yesterday when he opened the 2nd International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEC) at Burma Camp in Accra.

IDEC is a platform that brings together key stakeholders in the defence and security sectors to discuss issues critical to the peace and security of the continent.

It was organised by the Military High Command of the Ghanaian Armed Forces in collaboration with Great Minds Defence Company and the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institution.

This year’s theme was: “Improving regional mechanisms to address contemporary security challenges in Africa”.

President Akufo-Addo noted that the theme for this year’s conference is both timely and essential as the country faces a rapidly changing security landscape.

He said that despite progress in economic growth and political stability in recent years, the continent still faces complex security challenges such as terrorism, transnational organised crime, maritime piracy, cybersecurity threats and the impact of climate change on human security.

The President noted that the issue of transnational organized crime, including illegal activities such as drug and human trafficking, arms smuggling and wildlife poaching, continues to pose a serious threat to the continent. He stressed that “these criminal enterprises undermine the economy and fuel corruption and instability, making it difficult for legitimate governance structures to function effectively.”

“The Gulf of Guinea in particular has become a global hotspot for piracy, with criminal groups targeting commercial vessels and holding crew members for ransom. Fortunately, pirate activity has been significantly reduced in recent times, thanks to determined action by the Nigerian and Ghanaian navies,” he noted.

In his address, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the GAF, Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, stressed the importance of the conference in strengthening regional mechanisms to address contemporary security challenges in Africa.

He stressed the crucial role of technological innovation and defense alliances in modern warfare, pointing to the increasing reliance on advanced tools such as drones, artificial intelligence and complex communications systems.

In a speech read on his behalf, Minister of National Security Albert Kan-Dapaah stressed the increasingly complex nature of global security threats, caused by factors such as globalization, the growing influence of non-state actors and rapid technological advancement.

He noted that these dynamics bring with them a range of new challenges, including human trafficking, drug trafficking, smuggling and illegal immigration, which pose a threat not only to individual countries but also to the global community as a whole.

In light of these challenges, he argued that no nation, regardless of its power, can effectively address these challenges alone. Instead, he advocated collective security through strategic alliances and regional cooperation.

BY CLIFF EKUFUL & STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG