UNDP expresses concern over security situation in Sahel

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ghana has expressed concern about the rapid deterioration of the security situation in the Sahel. 

It said based on the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, the Sahel region now accounted for 47 per cent of global terrorism deaths, four per cent increase from last year as compared to just one per cent in 2007.

The Sahel region alone, it said, recorded more than 870 terrorist attacks in 2023.

The Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP Ghana, Sukhrob Khoshmukhamedov, made this known at the opening of a two-week training course dubbed, Strengthening Capacities for promoting efficiency in the implementation of the Accra Initiative in West Africa and the Sahel, organised by the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Centre (KAIPTC).

The participants of the training course are from state security and civil society from eight African countries, namely Ghana, Benin, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso with Nigeria as the observer state.

Accra Initiative

During Ghana’s Chairmanship of ECOWAS in 2017, a group of states adopted the Accra Initiative (AI) intending to prevent the spillover of terrorism from the Sahel in countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso (seen as the terrorism hubs in West Africa and Sahel) and to address transnational organised crime and violent extremism in member countries’ border areas.

Under the Accra Initiative arrangement, each state is working to secure the limits of their jurisdictions from terror attacks and insulate their territories from insurgencies and other threats to state and human insecurity.

The training course is critical in building the skills, and knowledge, establishing networks and capacities among key stakeholders. 

Terrorism spread

Mr Khoshmukhamedov said the spread of terrorism from the Sahel to coastal countries was also a growing concern with rising terrorist activities in neighbouring countries.

"It is important, now more than ever in this current time, that we collaborate to enhance our efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism and terrorism in the Sahel and West Africa," he urged.

He commended the KAIPTC and the government of Japan for bringing participants together for the course.

To the participants, he said their engagement, knowledge and expertise were essential in building community resilience and reducing threats to peace and security in their respective countries and for the region as a whole.

Violent extremism

An official of the Japan Embassy in Ghana, Kozue Amemiya, said violent extremism disrupted communities and hampered development efforts, making initiatives such as the Accra Initiative important in their shared pursuit to prevent its spillover and also promote peace and sustainable development.

She expressed the commitment of Japan to work alongside all in building a stable and thriving region, adding that they would continue to do so in parallel to local efforts.

Immediate attention

A Deputy Director of the KAIPTC, Dr Emma Yaa Birikorang, called for immediate attention and concerted efforts to the growing incidence of violent extremism and terrorism in the West African sub-region.

She pointed out that violent extremist groups had moved progressively from Mali to Burkina Faso, which was now accounting for 58 per cent of all violent extremist attacks in the Sahel.

She said their activities were spreading gradually to countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo with increasing concern about their potential expansion towards Ghana.

"It must also be noted that the expansionist drive of these groups is facilitated by organised crime and other illicit activities.  

"Violent extremists and terrorist groups benefit in organised crime whether domestic or transnational through trafficking in arms, persons, drugs and illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources such as oil, precious metals and minerals, as well as timber," she explained.

Dr Birikorang said it was in response to those growing threats that the Accra Initiative was born.

She described the collaboration among the eight countries as a beacon of hope in their collective fight against violent extremism and organised crime.