West African Leaders Unite on Permanent Anti-Terror Framework Amid Surge

By Linda Ike

Leaders from Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and six other nations have pledged deeper security cooperation, establishing a permanent regional security framework to counter terrorism, violent extremism, and transnational crime across West Africa.

They made the pledge at a two-day High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security in Accra, Ghana, a region facing eight daily terror attacks that claim an average of 44 lives.

Chaired by Ghanaian President, John Dramani Mahama, with Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio and Liberian President, Joseph Boakai in attendance, the conference marked a shift from sporadic efforts to a permanent structure.

In a joint communiqué issued at the close, officials noted that West Africa accounts for over half of global terrorism deaths, warning that the subregion has become the world’s epicenter of terrorist violence.

“We can no longer rely on ad hoc cooperation,” it stated.

Key agreements include intelligence sharing, unified anti-terror laws, cross-border hot pursuit, and a foundational memorandum of understanding (MoU) to be drafted within three months.

The leaders emphasised a human security focus, prioritising food, jobs, health, and local governance alongside military action while integrating climate resilience into peace plans.

“Sustainable security demands regional solidarity and a people-centered approach,” the communiqué added.

Bi-annual meetings will track progress, with resource mechanisms outlined in the upcoming pact.