Ghana’s envoy to the United Nations has pressed for coordinated international action to address mounting security threats across West Africa and the Sahel region. Ambassador Samuel Yao Kumah delivered his appeal during a Security Council briefing focused on peace consolidation efforts.
Speaking at UN Headquarters, Kumah congratulated Sierra Leone on assuming the Council’s November presidency. His statement addressed urgent security challenges posed by groups including the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslim (JNIM), Boko Haram, and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The Ambassador described how failing governance structures, uncontrolled borders, and climate-driven food shortages have worsened regional instability. These conditions have forced civilians from their homes, shattered local economies, and weakened community resilience. “The situation demands a coordinated and multifaceted approach, blending security measures with governance reforms and economic development to mitigate the complex threats facing the region,” he told Council members.
Kumah highlighted President John Dramani Mahama’s recent diplomatic visits to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as practical examples of Ghana’s strategy. These working trips in March 2025 aimed to strengthen preventive diplomacy and intelligence cooperation among nations confronting terrorism and insurgent movements. The visits came as the three Sahel nations prepared to officially exit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), having formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as an alternative security arrangement.
The Ghanaian diplomat underscored the human stakes involved, noting that West African stability directly affects approximately 430 million people. He emphasized the region’s exceptionally young population, with a median age of just 18 years.
Concluding his remarks, Kumah urged sustained partnership to restore confidence among regional actors and develop workable peace strategies. He stressed that combating terrorism in the Sahel extends beyond ECOWAS or West African responsibility alone, warning that instability spreads across international boundaries.
The Security Council session ended with members acknowledging the need for better unified and coordinated responses to the region’s interconnected security and development challenges.
