A security Analyst at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Dr Kwesi Aning has advised the governments of India and West Africa to exchange information on the activities of terrorist threats to enable them deal with the scourge in the sub-region.
According to him, information exchanges between India and West are crucial in addressing terrorism, piracy and other security challenges in the globe.
Dr Aning made this known at the closing ceremony of 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.
He added that India and West Africa need very sophisticated partnerships driven by technology, among others to end or reduce the rising level of threats of terrorism in the sub-region.
Dr Aning identified south-south partnership, capacity building, appropriate logistics, and legislation as the major solutions to the fight against terrorism in the developing world.
In his closing remarks, Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E Birender Singh Yadav disclosed that West Africa-India relations within the overall context of India-Africa partnership is highly important as approximately 40 percent of India’s trade with Africa is with the countries of West Africa which currently stood at $72 billion.
Mr Yadav was quick to add that; “Indian investments are increasing in Africa especially Western Africa mainly in telecom, agric, light manufacturing, IT and IT-enabled services, IT education, water treatment and supply management, chemicals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, automobiles, engineering consultancy and management, and textiles”.
The President of Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Asare Adjei used the opportunity to call on industries and sciences in India and West Africa to bridge the gap in knowledge transfer in the sub-region.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report
Email: Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh
