The European Union has reaffirmed its readiness to support efforts to strengthen security in West Africa.
Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Steering Committee meeting, the EU’s Deputy Head of Delegation to Ghana, Jonas Claes, praised Ghana’s initiative to establish a Gulf of Guinea–Sahel cooperation framework aimed at tackling rising security threats.
He highlighted that the EU, in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Germany, is backing a €27-million programme focused on early warning, conflict prevention, and mediation.
The EU official assured that the bloc remains committed to supporting both security and democratic governance across the region.
“When it comes to integrating support for security as well as democratic governance, I do not see them necessarily as two sides of the story. I think they can be supported in a very integrated approach.
“This can be done through training, to ensure that democratic values are being urged and also a form of conditionality of some of the security support that is being provided to ensure that they are in the hands of the right recipients.
“Here in Ghana, particularly, not to worry because Ghana has a strong and matured reputation as a consolidated democracy in the region. So we support the security sector to help promote regional security. We are already doing that in a confident manner I must say,” he said.
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