What Ghana’s President-elect brings on board in terms of regional security

On 24th June 2012, Ghana lost a sitting president for the first time in its existence as a state. That same day, John Mahama, his deputy, was sworn in as president.

Three months earlier, al-Qaeda affiliates had taken control of the historic Malian city of Timbuktu. The group occupied other cities in northern and central Mali.

By the end of 2012, it was clear that in the absence of urgent countermeasures, jihadists would sweep across the Sahel and take Bamako and other major cities. With Ghana’s stature in the region, it had a major say. At the time, neighboring Cote d’Ivoire held the chairmanship of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

By early 2013, the bloc had deployed forces to protect threatened cities in Mali. This was before France launched Operation Serval to cut off weapon supply routes and other logistics to the militants.

Shortly, John Mahama who had won the December 2012 elections was made the Chairman of ECOWAS. Under his leadership of the bloc, regional forces protected populated areas in Mali and beyond. Regional forces had also coordinated with France to hit extremists’ positions.

And so, what?

It was around the same period during his tenure as ECOWAS chairman that West Africa experienced one of the worst Ebola outbreaks the world has seen.

He directed the creation of a coordinating center in Accra and was proactive in seeking the support of the international community to fight the outbreak. Even though the epidemic was statistically fatal, the timely regional efforts averted the worst.

In a rare move, ECOWAS extended his tenure as chairman for another year. It was an acknowledgement of his hard work and exemplary leadership.

Regardless, he lost the 2016 election as an incumbent candidate seeking re-election. He handed over in a peaceful transition.

What next?

Days ago, Mr. Mahama won decisively in a general election. His party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is also set to occupy two-thirds of seats in parliament. At the same time, the security situation in the region is worse than when he had left it. More countries have their territories occupied by extremists, political instability is a major problem, piracy has become a major issue in the Gulf of Guinea, drug and human trafficking are worsening and other threats emerging.

Fortunately for ECOWAS, the return of the Ghanaian leader provides the opportunity to utilize someone with rich experience in the security dynamics of the region.

Giving him a major role as soon as possible could help fight the multiple threats to the promising region. He knows the terrain.

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.