It is critical for nations affected by terrorism and transnational violent crimes to synergise in order to bring down the networks and prevent the southward expansion of terrorism and ultimately curb the menace in the sub-region.
The National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Major General Adamu Laka, stated this at a 2-day regional dialogue organised by the NCTC and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), located in Accra, Ghana.
The the regional dialogue with the theme; "strengthening capacity and promoting efficiency in the implementation of the Accra initiative" holding at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja Nigeria's Capital, brought together senior officials from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) and other critical security stakeholders.
General Laka while addressing the participants recalled that the initiative focuses on information sharing, intelligence cooperation, training and cross-border military operations, with the overriding objective of preventing spillover of terrorism from the Sahel as well as addressing transnational organized crimes and violent extremism in member countries’ border areas.
"You would recall that Accra Initiative which was formalized in 2017 is a cooperative and collaborative security mechanism among 7 West African countries, with Nigeria as an Observer Nation"
"It is in this regard that the regional dialogue on strengthening capacities for promoting efficiency in the implementation of the Accra Initiative and critical actors was organized. The platform will be used for deliberation on common regional security challenges and gaps in the efficient implementation of the Accra Initiative" stated General Laka.
He therefore emphasised that Promoting synergy among coastal West African countries and the effective coverage of the ungoverned and porous border areas, are crucial to countering the threats posed by terrorism and transnational organized crimes in the Sahel Region.
The Director Research Department, koffi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Dr. Emma Birikorang said the threat of terrorism, violent extremism, other transnational organized crimes and other demographic factors in West Africa continue to change and pose threats to the region.
According to Dr. Birikorang, it is even more critical for the region to collaborate as criminal actors continue to form alliances to further their cause.
"We are really truly grateful for the collaboration with the National Counter Terrorism Center, We are hoping to sign an MOU with the Center in due course as the critical threats to peace and security require more research to generate knowledge products, support policymakers and build capacities of state and non-state actors" she stated.
The Ghana Ministry of Defence (MoD) established the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in 1998 with the purpose of building upon and sharing Ghana’s five decades of experience and competence in peace operations with other states in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region and the rest of Africa.
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