The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre has concluded a project aimed at strengthening the Accra Initiative as the Sahel region continues to account for 43 percent of global terrorism deaths, according to the 2023 Global Terrorism Index.
The one-year capacity-building project, implemented with Japan and the United Nations Development Programme, sought to improve efficiency in the Accra Initiative’s implementation amid growing security challenges in West Africa and the Sahel region.
Recent data reveals the alarming escalation of violence in the region. Burkina Faso and Mali accounted for 73 percent of terrorism deaths in the Sahel in 2022 and 52 percent of all global terrorism deaths. Burkina Faso alone recorded 1,135 terrorism deaths in 2022, making it the world’s most affected country.
The Accra Initiative, established during Ghana’s ECOWAS chairmanship in 2017, originally included Ghana, Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Burkina Faso, with Nigeria and Niger as observer states. The framework aimed to prevent terrorism spillover from Sahel countries into coastal West African nations.
However, the initiative faces unprecedented challenges following the formal withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, marking the most significant crisis in West African regional integration since 1975. These three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States, accusing ECOWAS of failing to safeguard member states and aligning too closely with foreign powers.
President Nana Akufo-Addo previously acknowledged that the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS “is bound to undermine the cohesion of the Accra Initiative and will require prompt reflection on the way forward”.
Air Commodore David Akrong, KAIPTC Deputy Commandant, emphasized that project outcomes have positively impacted operational readiness and coordination among remaining member states. He noted that challenges in West Africa and the Sahel remain dynamic and multifaceted, requiring sustained momentum and deepened partnerships.
Ambassador Hiroshi Yoshimoto of Japan highlighted his country’s commitment to peace and security cooperation with Africa, noting that the Accra Initiative aligns with Japan’s principle of supporting locally-driven solutions to critical challenges. At TICAD 8 in Tunis, Japan pledged continued support for African-led peace missions and capacity building.
The project’s completion comes as the Sahel region experiences its worst security crisis in decades. The Sahel remains the global epicenter of terrorism, accounting for over half of all terrorism-related deaths in 2024 with the number of affected countries increasing.
The fragmentation of regional security arrangements poses significant challenges for coordinated responses to transnational threats. The split means no single sub-regional organization can assemble all 15 former ECOWAS countries to address common security challenges.
Despite these setbacks, KAIPTC’s capacity-building efforts demonstrate continued commitment to strengthening regional security cooperation through training, coordination enhancement, and partnership development among remaining Accra Initiative members.
The initiative’s future effectiveness will depend on adapting to the new regional landscape while maintaining focus on preventing terrorism spillover into coastal West African states that remain vulnerable to expanding extremist networks.
