ECOWAS, partners launch 2024 country Resilience and Human Security Assessment in Ghana

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has kicked off the 2024 Country Resilience and Human Security Assessment in Ghana on June 10, 2024.

This initiative is part of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) Project, supported by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and GIZ. It marks a significant step towards enhancing human security and resilience in the West African sub-region.

The assessment in Ghana aims to evaluate social and institutional resilience factors related to human security challenges. This will inform analytical products and guide decision-making, planning, and response efforts by the ECOWAS Commission, the National Centre for the Coordination of the Response Mechanism (NCCRM), the government, and key stakeholders in Ghana. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for the NCCRM to create a research database to address human security issues effectively.

At the technical scoping workshop in Accra, Mr. Tunji Olonode, representing the Acting Director of the ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate, highlighted that despite Ghana’s significant political and socio-economic progress, the country faces challenges such as banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, violent extremism, farmer-herder conflicts, and forced migration. He emphasized that these challenges exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel regions and pose security risks to coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea, necessitating bottom-up, context-specific, inclusive, and human-centric approaches.

Colonel William Ohemeng, Director of NCCRM Ghana, noted that there are evident threats and insecurity in Ghana, indicating the need for constant assessment and sustainable measures to mitigate human security risks.

Anna Lixi, from the European Union Delegation in Ghana, emphasized the importance of digitalization for peacebuilding and sustainable development, stating that leveraging digital technologies can enhance early warning systems.

A representative of the German Embassy in Ghana also welcomed the ECOWAS Commission and NCCRM initiative, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to address interconnected challenges, promote peace, gender equality, and sustainable development.

Ghana is the third ECOWAS Member State to undergo the updated CRHSA. The exercise was previously held in Nigeria from May 27 to June 4, 2024, and in Cote d’Ivoire from June 2 to June 9, 2024.