West African Leaders Reaffirm Commitment to Regional Security Cooperation At Accra Conference
Heads of State and Government from Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, alongside representatives of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo, have renewed their commitment to strengthening regional cooperation on security, governance, and human development following a two-day High-Level Consultative Conference held in Accra from January 29–30, 2026.
The conference, chaired by President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, brought together President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and President Joseph Boakai of Liberia, with senior delegations from participating states. The meeting focused on addressing the escalating security crisis in West Africa, which leaders described as the current global epicenter of terrorism and violent extremism.
According to the communiqué issued at the close of the meeting, participants expressed grave concern over the surge in terrorist attacks across the region, noting that at least eight attacks occur daily, claiming an average of 44 lives. The leaders warned that inaction was no longer an option, stressing that insecurity now poses a direct threat to livelihoods, governance, and regional stability.
The conference followed prior consultations among Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security officials, Intelligence Chiefs, and partners including the African Union Commission, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and civil society organisations.
Leaders agreed on the need to move beyond ad hoc cooperation toward a structured and permanent framework for regional collaboration. This framework aims to enhance intelligence sharing, harmonise legal systems, and develop shared security, infrastructure, and resilience programmes, while addressing the root causes of instability.
Participants reaffirmed a shift toward a human security approach to peacebuilding—one that prioritises people-centered, gender-responsive strategies alongside respect for national sovereignty and regional solidarity.
On security and counterterrorism, the conference agreed to strengthen intelligence and information sharing, enhance cross-border prosecution of terrorism-related offences, and expand de-radicalisation programmes. Recognising the link between violent extremism and transnational organised crime, leaders also committed to improving coordination against trafficking in arms, narcotics, and human beings.
In a significant step toward deeper cooperation, the conference agreed to consider “hot pursuit” arrangements through bilateral, minilateral, or multilateral agreements to combat cross-border criminal and extremist activities. Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs was tasked with leading the drafting of a foundational Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and related protocols within three months, with adoption expected within six months.
Beyond security, leaders underscored the importance of governance, economic opportunity, and service delivery in sustaining peace. Commitments were made to prioritise food security, healthcare, education, and job creation, strengthen local governance, and leverage digital technologies to modernise border management and public services.
The conference also recognised climate change as a major threat multiplier. Participants agreed to integrate climate and food security into regional peace planning and to develop a collective disaster preparedness and humanitarian response framework, including support for displaced populations.
As part of agreed next steps, the Consultative Conference will become a biannual platform, supported by a monitoring mechanism to track implementation of decisions. The proposed MoU will also outline resource mobilisation strategies to sustain regional cooperation.
The conference concluded with a renewed sense of regional solidarity and a firm resolve to translate commitments into measurable outcomes that safeguard lives and livelihoods across West Africa.
Issued in Accra, Ghana, on January 30, 2026.
