Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has issued a sobering call for regional unity, revealing that the epicenter of global terrorism has shifted decisively to West Africa. Speaking at a high-level consultative conference on regional security in Accra, the Minister disclosed that the sub-region now accounts for nearly 60% of all global terrorist activity.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Hon. Ablakwa noted that over the last 15 years, terror attacks in the region have skyrocketed by 1,266%, while the death toll has seen a staggering increase of 2,860%. He described this as a daily, grim reality that no nation can afford to ignore.
The Minister shared a poignant example of this volatility, informing delegates that his counterpart from Niger was unable to attend the summit due to an overnight attack on the Niamey airport, which rendered travel impossible.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa argued that the traditional military-only approach is no longer sufficient to address these multidimensional threats. He urged intelligence chiefs to view security through a broader lens that includes economic stability and the social fabric of border communities.
Addressing the assembly, he stated, “Intelligence cannot be confined to kinetic threats alone. It must encompass the broader picture, the economic corridors that sustain trade, the border communities whose livelihoods depend on cross-border movement, and the social fabric that binds our societies.”
To combat the “silent erosion of resilience” in vulnerable communities, the Minister proposed that all future deliberations be undergirded by the principles of trust, resource mobilization, integration, and foresight. He emphasized that solutions must come from within the continent and that information must be shared in ways that build confidence rather than suspicion.
Concluding his address, he reminded the leaders that no state can stand as a sustainable island. “Our strength lies in unity, in pooling our wisdom, and in the courage to act together,” he remarked.
Story: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
