Ghana-EU sign security, defence partnership - Ghana-EU sign security, defence partnership

Ghana has signed a security and defence partnership with the European Union Commission.

The partnership, which is the first of its kind in Africa, would allow Ghana and the EU to work more closely in areas such as counterterrorism, conflict prevention and cyber security, which the latter deems to be more important to its citizens.

The UK, Canada, Japan, Norway and others have already signed similar agreements with the commission.

The event which took place at the National Security Council Secretariat in Accra yesterday, saw the Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, initialling on behalf of Ghana, while the High Representative and Vice-President of the commission, Kaja Kallas, signed for the commission.

Present were government officials, heads and members of security agencies, some officials of the commission and diplomats from EU-member countries.

Collaboration

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the partnership highlighted the long-standing collaboration between Ghana and the EU as well as their shared commitment to peace, stability and sustainable development.

“This demonstrates the strengthening collaboration between Ghana and the EU in tackling evolving security challenges, especially in our sub-region and across the sahel. Complex security threats and risks continue to emerge and evolve across West Africa,” she said.

Making reference to a recent tragic attack involving some Ghanaian tomatoes traders leading to lost of lives in Burkina Faso, the Vice-President said the incident served as a stark reminder of the dangers of insecurity.

“Ghana remains committed to working with the European Union to promote peace, strengthen democratic governance and address the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, marginalisation and youth unemployment,” she said.

Partnership

Ms Kallas said Ghana and the EU shared a long-standing partnership that went beyond development and trade.

She said they were taking the collaboration to a new level with the signing of the new security and defence partnership.

Ms Kallas said both the EU and Ghana were faced with threats to peace and security in their wider neighbourhoods, and that both had constantly called for peace in Ukraine, Sudan, Sahel and in the Middle East.

“Russia's war on Ukraine is an existential threat to Europe, but it also has consequences that are felt beyond our borders, also here in Ghana.

“Beyond economic consequences, Russia's unethical recruitment of African nationals preys on economic hardship. Your citizens should not be lured into a war that is not theirs,” she advised.

Significance

The National Security Coordinator, DCOP Abdul-Osman Razak, said in the midst of recent global challenges which appeared to have no end in sight, those initiatives and donations were critical  to bolstering security strategies.

He said it would also ensure effectiveness of earmarked operations.

The Coordinator also applauded the EU for the various forms of training it had offered to security personnel in the country.