The Government of India has collaborated with its counterparts in West Africa to fight the arising threats of global terrorism in the sub-region.
To this end, a two-day conference on the theme ‘India-West Africa Partnership for Enhancing Security, Development and Growth’ was held in Accra last week.
The inaugural conference attended by government representatives and security experts from the West African sub-region and India was organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), and High Commission of India in Ghana.
The two from 19-20th January examined various aspects of the collaboration to enable them raise the alliance to a higher level.
“There is an intrinsic link between security and development as there can be no development without security. Lack of security inhibits investor confidence and consequently derails economic growth and development”, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, Ghana’s Minister Designate for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration noted in her inaugural address.
She underscored the fact that the West African sub-region has remained relatively stable in the midst of security threats from groups like Boko Haram, the Arab Maghreb and others, which operate in the Sahelian region of West Africa.
“Remarkably, India has continued to invest in West Africa in the midst of these threats. It is in this regard that cooperation between India and West Africa in strengthening security remains vital”, Madam Botchway stated.
While many countries in Africa have been experiencing tremendous economic growth, there is still a long way to go in translating these achievements into sustainable development and creating employment opportunities for the majority of the region’s teeming youth who are usually the vulnerable targets of extremist groups, according to her.
The rising threats of global terrorism and the of groups such as Boko Haram and the Arab Maghreb in some parts of the sub-region means that, now more than ever, we need to address security challenges, abject poverty and the lack of development, protecting in the course of these efforts, basic civil and human rights.
“Long-term security requires that young people be in gainful employment, rather than in the hands of extremists. It also means continuing to combat extremism wherever it exists”.
“It is crucial that we find innovative ways of delivering development to our people by meeting the challenges of food security and energy security”, Madam Botchway stated.
While commending the Indian government for the successful partnership it has created with the West African countries so far, she reiterated the commitment of the government of Ghana to cooperating with India and other stakeholders in combating terrorism and other kinds of violence not only in West Africa, but the world at large.
Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E Birender Singh Yadav thanked the ICWA for choosing Ghana as the venue of the conference and reposing trust on the High Commission of India in assisting with the preparations of the event.
The choice of Ghana is appropriate as the successful, transparent and peaceful elections in Ghana and the smooth transfer of power has again demonstrated the impeccable democratic credentials of the country, he emphasised.
He lauded: “Ghana has lived up to its image of beacon of strong and robust democracy not only in West Africa but the entire African continent.
In his congratulatory message to Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Ghana for upholding the democratic traditions and for the transparent and peaceful conduct of elections.
India’s engagement with Africa in approximately last one and half years has been very intense. At the third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) held in New Delhi, departure was made from the “Banjul Formulae” and all African countries were invited to participate in the third IAFS.
Mr Yadav noted: “Framework for Strategic cooperation between India and Africa adopted at third IAFS refers to longstanding and multifaceted relationship that has fashioned a development partnership based on equality, friendship, mutual benefit and solidarity which represents South-South cooperation in all its dimensions”.
This partnership according to him encompasses human resource development through scholarships, training, capacity building, financial assistance through grants and concessional credit to implement various public interest projects including education, health, among others.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh
Email: mk68008@gmail.com
