Widespread violence in the ECOWAS sub-region have fueled migration crisis as a result of increasing vulnerabilities, Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo has said.
Addressing the third edition of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum (KAPS) in Accra on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, President Akufo-Addo stressed the urgency of finding solutions through regional cooperation.
“The region is at a crossroads, and our actions today will determine the path of prosperity or destruction for our citizens,” he said.
Forum
The Forum, organized by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), was on the theme, “Migration and Societal Resilience in a Multipolar World Order: Addressing Conflicts and Building Peace in Africa.”
Over 200 delegates drawn from Africa, Europe and America as well as representatives from ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations (UN) participated in the event which was focused on pressing issues related to migration and its impact on peace and societal resilience in Africa.
Topics discussed at the event included Migration, Climate Change and Conflicts in Africa: African Leadership and Coping Mechanisms, Building Regional Capacity to Mitigate Migration and Conflicts in Africa and Addressing Irregular Migration and Transnational Organized Crime in a Multipolar World.
The two-day event also saw delegates and experts delving into the bigger conversations on Gender, Youth and Migration: Issues and Debates, Building Community Resilience against Climate Change and Conflicts and Demography and Migration in a Multipolar World Order, all aimed exploring approaches to addressing migration-related conflicts through effective policies and peacebuilding mechanisms in the African region.
Regional Cooperation
President Akufo-Addo, referencing the 2023 World Bank Development Report, which stated that “some 184 million people have moved outside of the country of their birth, stressed the urgency of finding solutions through regional cooperation.
“Together with my fellow ECOWAS counterparts, we are seeking ways to find amicable solutions to the challenge of ECOWAS integration,” the President said.
President Akufo-Addo also acknowledged the KAIPTC’s crucial role in promoting peace through strategic forums and urged participants and international partners at the Forum to remain committed to fostering security and ensuring the safety of Africans globally.
Migrant Rights
The AU High Representative for Silencing Guns and Chairman of the Forum, Mohamed Ibn Chambas in his remarks echoed the call for collaboration and highlighted the importance of protecting migrants’ human rights.
Global human mobility in the recent decade, he said, has grown significantly, with the number of international migrants exceeding 281 million in 2020 (UNDESA) and internal migrants surpassing 800 million.
The trend, he said is expected to continue, thereby emphasising the importance of protecting the welfare and rights of migrants, especially women and unaccompanied migrant children.
“The cruel irony is that traditional migrant countries, once proud of their heritage as ‘migrant societies’ or ‘nations of migrants,’ now waver in their willingness to welcome newcomers,” Dr Chambas lamented.
Despite their critical role in economic recovery, future growth, and sustainable development, migrants, he noted, also often face resistance in countries that need them most.
He underscored the African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention 2014), with its focus on border management and integration, stressing the urgent need for all stakeholders to work together, unlocking the potential of migration for the development of migrants and societies alike.”
“As ECOWAS approaches its 50th anniversary, the unique migration patterns within our region demand heightened cooperation. By working together, we can address existing challenges and achieve improved migration governance which will ultimately ensure the human rights, safety, and security of migrants, creating a more just and prosperous future for all,” Dr Chambas emphasised.
KAIPTC
The Commandant of the KAIPTC, Major General Richard Addo Gyane in his welcome remarks underscored the rising need to address “conflicts and coups d’états which are becoming increasingly prevalent in Africa.
General Gyane emphasized the need for “a global urgency to address migration and its opportunities and challenges through strengthening societal resilience and peacebuilding.
“The challenges currently facing Africa make this Forum a pivotal moment for addressing complex migration through effective governance and failure to act could exacerbate these issues as the global order shifts, jeopardizing regional stability,” the Commandant emphasised.