Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang Urges West African Leaders to Act Decisively on Rising Security Threats
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called on West African leaders to move beyond discussions and take concrete, decisive action to address the escalating security threats facing the region.
Speaking at the Joint Ministerial Meeting of the High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security, she warned that threats such as violent extremism and terrorism were increasingly interconnected and easily crossed national borders.
“The challenges we face are increasingly interconnected and transnational. Violent extremism, terrorism, organised crime, cyber threats, and persistent youth unemployment do not respect borders, institutional mandates, or traditional policy silos,” she said.
“In this context, leadership requires more than responding to immediate pressures. It calls for foresight and coordination to ensure that security strategies, foreign policy, and development agendas reinforce one another rather than operate in isolation.”
The Vice President further highlighted the importance of identifying early warning signs of terrorism and other security threats to enable proactive and effective responses.
“Acting together and proactively helps us identify risks earlier, ease the burden on national systems, and maintain stability at a lower cost than responding after problems occur,” she emphasised.
She stressed that prevention was not just desirable but a practical necessity, noting that issues ranging from violent extremism and terrorism to organised crime and counter-terrorism cooperation required strong regional initiatives focused on implementation rather than rhetoric.
The Vice President’s remarks come amid growing concerns over the spread of violent extremism, jihadist activities, and cross-border threats in West Africa, particularly in the Sahel and coastal regions. Her call for coordinated, forward-looking action aligns with ongoing efforts by ECOWAS and other regional bodies to strengthen collective security mechanisms and address the root causes of instability.
The High-Level Consultative Conference continues to serve as a critical platform for West African leaders to align strategies on security, governance, and development in the face of complex and evolving threats.
