President John Dramani Mahama has revealed plans to create a new framework aimed at strengthening regional security cooperation, following the decision of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to stay out of the Accra Initiative.
Addressing a joint press briefing with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Jubilee House, President Mahama said Ghana had made efforts to integrate the AES into the Accra Initiative, but the continued separation between the two blocs had made a new approach necessary.
“We need continuous dialogue and engagement to resolve the mutual challenges we face,” President Mahama stated. “The Accra Initiative was established as a platform for our joint fight against violent extremism in the West African sub-region. Unfortunately, the AES states are not currently participating, so we’re exploring a new platform to bring them on board.”
The President stressed that the battle against terrorism and violent extremism must be a shared regional responsibility, describing it as “a cancer that continues to grow and spread.”
He disclosed that discussions were already underway to form this new collaborative framework, adding, “I was in Mali a week ago to discuss the possibility of a joint platform where we can work together and attract international support for the collective fight against violent extremism.”
The Accra Initiative, headquartered in Ghana, currently brings together seven West African countries, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and Togo, to coordinate security operations and tackle transnational threats.
However, the AES, comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has shifted its focus to strengthening its own alliance, emphasising regional sovereignty and reduced dependence on external partners.
President Mahama’s proposed platform is expected to bridge this gap and promote greater unity in addressing the growing threat of insecurity across the sub-region.
