Owusu on Africa: Focusing on solutions for the worsening terrorism in the next ASEC, is the Accra Initiative a viable model?

By Fidel Amakye Owusu

When the United States declared war on global terrorism in 2001, it was equipped with the world’s most powerful military in terms of equipment, budget, and reach. Despite this overwhelming strength, it recognized the need for allies and called upon them for support. The United Kingdom and other allies answered the call, joining forces with the United States to fight an ongoing and complex war.

The challenges of varied terrains, specialized missions, and the necessity for international solidarity and shared responsibility make it clear that no single nation can combat terrorism alone.

Despite these collaborations, the fight against terrorism has shown that a purely military approach is not always effective. Addressing socio-economic issues is equally crucial for achieving long-term success.

In this context, the recent news that the European Union (EU) has donated over one hundred military vehicles to Ghana to aid in its battle against the growing threat of violent extremism is a positive development.

Last year, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, visited West Africa for a meeting of the “Accra Initiative“. This initiative aims to understand the region’s security challenges better and to strengthen cooperative efforts.

The Accra Initiative, established in 2017, includes several coastal West African states such as Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso. These nations face significant socio-economic challenges that hinder their capacity to combat extremism effectively.

Ghana, in particular, is grappling with severe economic difficulties that have led it to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This domestic economic crisis has severely limited Ghana’s ability to enhance its security forces. Thus, the EU’s donation of military vehicles will significantly bolster Ghana’s capacity for border patrols and counterterrorism efforts.

In recent years, support for West African states in their counterterrorism efforts has increasingly become a matter of geopolitical competition. Russia, through its mercenary company Wagner, has established a presence in the Sahel, signing agreements with host states to combat violent extremism.

However, Wagner’s involvement has not strengthened the efforts of other international forces, such as those from the United Nations and Europe. Instead, it has driven them away from countries like Mali and, to some extent, Burkina Faso. Recent developments in Niger suggest a similar trend.

For the EU, ensuring stability in West Africa is crucial, especially given its concerns about African migration. Achieving this stability requires multifaceted support and genuine partnerships with African states. Additionally, global powers should avoid engaging in adversarial competition in this context if they genuinely wish to support Africa.

The Cold War era’s competitive dynamics had devastating effects on the continent. Repeating such patterns would be detrimental and must be avoided.

Fidel Amakye Owusu is an International Relations and Security Analyst. He is an Associate at the Conflict Research Consortium for Africa and has previously hosted an International Affairs program with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). He is passionate about Diplomacy and realizing Africa’s global potential and how the continent should be viewed as part of the global collective.