Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has appealed to the global community to support Africa in its efforts to address the challenges of terrorism in the Sahel region and the resurgence of coups across the continent.
Speaking at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Akufo-Addo highlighted the significant impact of instability in the Sahel, which has placed political and economic burdens on West African nations. He urged the international community to provide immediate assistance to aid in the region’s recovery and enhance the quality of life for the affected citizens.
“Instability in the Sahel and widespread terrorist activities have put West African countries under severe political pressure and economic strain. Several countries in the region have lost vast stretches of territory to the rampaging terrorists,” he said.
According to a report by Vision of Humanity, the Sahel region has become the new epicentre of terrorism, with deaths rising ten times between 2007 and 2021. The report also noted that groups such as Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda continue to wage a violent campaign in the region, accounting for 35% of global total of terrorism deaths in 2021.
Akufo-Addo said that West African countries are trying their best to deal with the situation, but they need more support from the international community, especially from Europe and its allies. He reminded them of the historical ties between Africa and the Allies in World War II, when Africans fought and died in defence of Europe’s freedom and prosperity.
“Africans fought and died in the Second World War in defence of Europe and her Allies, who reset the world towards the path of peace and prosperity that their nations and citizens have enjoyed for decades now. It is surely time for the world to reciprocate in our time of need,” he said.
He also expressed concern about the “misconception” that coups are the solution to the threats that confront some African nations. He said that coups undermine democracy and development, and create more problems than they solve.
“Coup d’états have reemerged as what some mistakenly hope would be the solution to the threats that confront their nations,” he said.
Akufo-Addo called on the international community to respect and support the efforts of regional and continental organisations, such as ECOWAS and AU, to resolve conflicts and restore stability in Africa. He also reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to democracy, human rights, rule of law, and good governance.
“Ghana remains firmly committed to democracy as a system of governance that best serves our interests as a people. We will continue to work with our partners across Africa and beyond to promote democracy, human rights, rule of law, and good governance on our continent,” he said.