ACCRA, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called on the political leadership of West Africa and the Sahel to take proactive efforts together against violent extremism plaguing the region.
Effective regional cooperation is needed with timely information-sharing, joint analysis, and coordinated responses, to win the war against terror, Opoku-Agyemang told the opening of a meeting Thursday of a two-day High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security in Accra, the Ghanaian capital.
Security challenges within the region, including violent extremism, terrorism, organized crime, cyber threats, and persistent youth unemployment, do not respect borders, institutional mandates, or traditional policy silos, she said.
"In this context, leadership requires more than responding to immediate pressures. It calls for foresight and coordination to ensure that security strategies, foreign policy, and development agendas reinforce one another rather than operate in isolation," Opoku-Agyemang said.
"Acting together and proactively helps us identify risks earlier, ease the load on national systems, and maintain stability at a lower cost than responding after problems occur," she said.
"While the challenges ahead are serious, they are not beyond our ability to handle," Opoku-Agyemang said. "With ongoing political dedication, coordinated efforts, and a focus on practical results, our region can strengthen its foundations and move with greater confidence toward peace and prosperity."
Recommendations from the joint ministerial meeting, coupled with those from the meeting of security and intelligence chiefs, would inform the decision by the heads of state of the West Africa and Sahel region at their meeting in Accra later on Friday. ■