Minister for National Security, Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah was at the Centre for African Studies, University of Florida, on 9th April 2024, where he delivered a lecture on security titled “Ensuring security and democracy in West Africa: Ghana’s role in regional and international cooperation.” In the lecture, Hon. Kan-Dapaah situated West Africa’s insecurity within the African continent and global security, highlighting that owing to the interconnected nature of the world, any disregard for the growing terrorism in the West African region could lead to threats to the security of the West, along with potential losses of critical Western investments on the continent. He emphasised Ghana’s strong support for democratic processes in governance and pitched for continued support for democratic West African states, pointing out that neglect of their kinetic and non-kinetic security needs would lead to sure reversals in democracy, undoing years of democratic progress, particularly as Russia and China continue to offer alluring alternatives to Western partnership in ways that undermine the foundations of democracy.
Global stability under enormous threat
Hon. Kan-Dapaah painted a picture of the contemporary threats to global insecurity, which require attention. Pointing to several examples including the fragility of democracy in the US, evidenced by the Capitol Hill riot; the war in Ukraine dividing the international community; the limitations of US power in the Middle East, as seen in the Israel-Hamas conflict; and West Africa’s struggles with terrorism and military coups, on top of existing poverty and climate challenges, he made the strong argument that West Africa needed as much attention and support as does the other listed occurrences in the other parts of the world. To further press home the gravity of the current situation, he referenced a book, “Secular Cycles,” which suggests the world goes through cycles of integration and disintegration. Integration is marked by a period of prosperity and stability, while disintegration involves economic decline, conflict, and population hardship. He then posited that such events as the pandemic, the Ukraine war, and West African instability suggest the world might be entering a disintegrative phase necessitating international cooperation to prevent further decline.
West Africa under Surging Terrorism
He then addressed the horrific situation in West Africa in further detail. Referencing a recent report on global terrorism, he pointed out that the Sahel region was the most terrorist-stricken in the world, with Burkina Faso being the worst affected. He noted with concern the southward spread of this threat, as coastal states previously considered safe including Togo and Benin are now experiencing attacks.
Hon. Kan-Dapaah linked modern-day terrorism in West Africa to events like the Algerian Civil War and the fall of Gaddafi in Libya through a continental spread of ammunition. He then explained how terrorism has evolved, stating that groups that were initially driven by religious ideology are now exploiting socio-political grievances and often have even economic motives. Within this context of evolved motives for terrorist agenda, Kan-Dapaah warned that no West African country was immune and that the entire region risks becoming a battleground for terrorists. While Ghana itself has not been attacked, it is feeling the strain of a growing refugee crisis caused by the violence in neighboring Burkina Faso, he said.
Impact on Western Interests
Hon. Kan-Dapaah shared how those sentiments were heightening against international actors for their perceived failure to meaningfully support the fight against terrorism in the region, in turn leading to the withdrawal of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the French Barkhane Forces from Mali and the collapse of the G5-Sahel, which have created a vacuum for terrorists to thrive. He then warned that a terrorist takeover of the region would not only cause avoidable casualties and the loss of territory by West African States but that terrorists could transform the entire region into a major base from where they launch deadly attacks in other parts of the world, a situation which would significantly impact Western investments in natural resources.
Meaningful Support
Hon. Kan-Dapaah delved into the heart of what it would take to improve the security situation in the region. “To defeat terrorism in the region,” he said, “…the UN must be willing to provide funding support through its assessed contributions to incorporate non-kinetic counterterrorism measures into peace operations toward addressing the root causes of radicalisation. A major challenge crippling the fight against terrorism in the West African region is the lack of funds to procure equipment needed to enhance the counter-terrorism capabilities of State Security Forces. Yet, from a bilateral perspective, Western partners have sought to focus on training and capacity building at the expense of supporting West African States to procure the right kind of equipment for the State Security Forces. West African governments do not expect the equipment to be given to them for free. Ghana therefore, continues to advocate for the design of a funding mechanism that guarantees flexible terms of payment in the acquisition of the equipment.”
In his view, any conversation about improving security in West Africa which does not factor in the financial challenges West African governments face, is likely to fail to accord the region what it really needs for making significant gains against terrorism. Meanwhile, any such support for West Africa that becomes condescending is likely to suffer the fate of other failed bilateral relationships where Western countries are denounced for patronizing their relations with sub-Saharan African countries.
The lecture strikes powerfully at the complex intersection between the needs of African countries and securing Western investments within the African region. It also reveals the interconnectedness between West African insecurity and global insecurity, making such discussions important to shape forward-looking discussions of regional security and sustainable development policies.
