Sahel Terrorism Crisis Demands Urgent Regional Cooperation– General Gyane

The Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Major General Richard Addo Gyane has emphasised the urgent need for collaborative and innovative responses to combat terrorism in the Sahel.

This follows the 2023 Global Terrorism Index, which identifies the region as the epicenter of global terrorism.

Speaking at a two-day regional dialogue organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with KAIPTC, General Gyane underscored the importance of regional cooperation in addressing the growing security threats.

The dialogue, held in Abuja, brought together senior officials from KAIPTC and key security stakeholders to enhance capacity and promote efficiency in implementing the Accra Initiative, a regional security framework aimed at countering terrorism and violent extremism.

According to General Gyane, “the Accra Initiative was conceived as a beacon of regional cooperation, embodying the shared vision and commitment of member states to safeguard their territories, secure borders, and tackle security challenges that transcend national boundaries.”

“Violent extremist and terrorist groups benefit immensely from organized crime, whether domestic or transnational, through trafficking in arms, persons, drugs, illicit exploitation of natural resources such as oil, precious metals, minerals, timber, and wildlife,” he said.

General Gyane highlighted the alarming rise in terrorist activities, noting that in 2007, the Sahel accounted for just 1% of global terrorism-related deaths, but by 2023, this figure had surged to 43%.

He further warned that violent extremist groups have progressively spread from Mali to Burkina Faso, which now accounts for 58% of all terrorist attacks in the region, with activities gradually expanding towards coastal West African nations like Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Togo, and Ghana.

General Gyane stressed that the success of the Accra Initiative relies not only on intelligence-led operations but also on non-kinetic, community-driven approaches that engage civil society and stakeholders in meaningful ways.

Speaking at the event, Melody Azinim, a Peace and Governance Analyst with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), emphasised that sustainable development in the region is impossible without peace and security.

She called for stronger collaboration, knowledge sharing, and collective efforts to maintain stability.

Similarly, Dr. Joseph Ochegwu, Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), advocated for a non-kinetic approach, arguing that excessive militarization, following colonial patterns would not solve the crisis.

“More focus should be on strengthening local and coastal communities to build resilience against extremism. Security is an all-inclusive effort, and citizens must be at the heart of peacebuilding,” Dr. Ochegwu stated.

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), under Ghana’s Ministry of Defence, is one of the three ECOWAS Training Centers of Excellence, playing a pivotal role in regional security capacity building.

Mercy Chukwudiebere