Violent extremist organisations expand influence

Violent extremist organisations operating in the Sahel are expanding their influence across borders into the northern regions of Coastal West Africa. 

While northern Ghana has shown resilience to violent extremist activities to date, its vulnerability is heightened by a range of destabilising factors such as the lack of economic prospects, communal conflicts aggravated by land and chieftaincy disputes, long-standing patterns of ethnic exclusion, and tensions ahead of the December 7, general election this year.

To this end, the US government and Germany have jointly launched a $40 million Coastal States Stability Mechanism (CSSM) regional initiative in Yendi, in the Northern Region, to strengthen stability in northern Ghana and coastal West African countries of Benin and Togo.

Event  

The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, was speaking at a press engagement with the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict and Stabilisation Operations, Ms Anne Witkowsky, and the German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, in Accra.

She said the government of Ghana was responding to the threats with an attentive and proactive posture, by enhancing security to bolster stability.

Ms Palmer said the programme was a joint US-German conflict prevention initiative implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the government and communities to strengthen a locally accepted state presence at identified areas considered to be simmering flashpoints due to communal conflicts and heightened risk for recruitment. 

Partnership

The initiative partners local actors on strategic and quick-impact activities that reinforce civilian security provision, expand and improve government delivery of critical basic services, and support efforts to address social and economic drivers of instability.

Backed by the Ministry of National Security, the CSSM Ghana programme is committed to reinforcing the agency of local communities and their representatives, including vulnerable and marginalised segments of the population.

The initiative, which started in the country in June, 2024, is currently implementing 11 activities in three border districts in the North East Region, including Chereponi, Yunyoo-Nasuan and Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri, all with relative proximity to CSSM intervention areas in northern Togo.

The Assistant Secretary, MS Anne Witkowsky, also said that CSSM was aimed at reinforcing security, promoting community cohesion, improving capacity and legitimacy of government representatives and services, including advancing social and economic development, adding that “the US is proud to support Ghana’s security efforts”.

She said it was part of a broader US strategy to prevent conflict and promote stability (SPCPS) in coastal West Africa and beyond.

“Through these initiatives, we intend to create lasting impact that will contribute to a more secure and resilient Ghana and the region. When Africa succeeds, the world succeeds,” Ms Witkowsky added.  

She further said that the holistic implementation of the initiative would help mitigate conflict risks, reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen social cohesion.

Ghana, beacon of democracy

The German Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Krull, applauded the trilateral relation among the US, Germany and Ghana, saying, “Ghana, a beacon of democracy, is very close to our hearts and we are very much interested in the success of the democracy in Ghana”.

On the December 7, general election, Mr Krull called for a free and fair poll.

Ambassador Krull said Germany’s development portfolio in Ghana amounted to more than $700 million, particularly in the North West Region, where it supports the local development fund and agriculture to build resilience.