EU hands $50-million security package to Ghana

A 50 million euro ($52 million) military package was delivered by the European Union on Wednesday with the goal of strengthening Ghanaian security forces in light of the growing dangers posed by jihadists and armed groups in West Africa.

With violent extremist organizations affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group threatening to spread from the Sahel into coastal countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Benin, the security situation in the region has been worse in recent years.

In order to support Ghana’s border security, intelligence-sharing, and counterterrorism activities, the package includes advanced communication technologies, civil engineering equipment, and riverine assets, such as boats.

It comes after the EU delivered 105 military vehicles in 2023, and more defense assistance is planned through 2026.

“Ghana deeply appreciates the EU’s steadfast support. This equipment will empower our security forces to protect our citizens and uphold our democratic values,” Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah said during the handover ceremony in the capital Accra.

Prosper Douglas Bani, Ghana’s national security advisor, said a comprehensive security approach was necessary against “violent extremist groups, the expansion of transnational organised crime networks, and the persistent threat of cross-border instability”.

According to him, the gear will also aid in the prevention of criminal activities like fishing and smuggling along Ghana’s waterways.

“Ghana and the European Union stand together,” stated Irchad Razaaly, the EU ambassador to Ghana.

Since armed organizations use porous borders and inadequate governance systems to launch attacks and smuggling operations, border security is still a major concern.

The EU’s assistance is in line with larger global initiatives to reduce the Sahelian insecurity spillover and bolster Ghana’s position as a buffer against instability in the region.

However, observers have cautioned that military-focused campaigns against jihadism in the Sahel countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have not been able to stop the bloodshed in the absence of continuous political and economic involvement to address long-neglected rural areas.

Although academics have stated that armed groups from Burkina Faso are using northern Ghana to relax, refuel, and elude authorities, Benin has had multiple attacks close to its borders with Niger and Burkina Faso, raising concerns of a spillover into coastal states.