Accra, Ghana – 24 September 2026 – The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has opened the 2nd United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)–Women in Maritime West and Central Africa (WIMOWCA) Regional Conference on Women, Peace and Security in the Gulf of Guinea, bringing together participants from 17 countries for a three-day conference focused on strengthening regional cooperation and advancing women’s leadership in maritime security.
Held under the theme, “Anchoring the Future of Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea through Women’s Leadership and Regional Action,” the conference provides a platform for stakeholders to examine the role of women in addressing maritime security challenges and to identify practical approaches to strengthening regional collaboration.
Delivering the welcome and opening remarks on behalf of the Commandant of KAIPTC, Dr. Emma Birikorang, Director of the Department of Applied Research and Innovation in Peace and Security at KAIPTC, reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to advancing peace and security through inclusive leadership, research and regional partnerships. She noted that the conference reflects the growing importance of inclusive approaches to addressing contemporary maritime security challenges.
Dr. Birikorang further highlighted the relevance of the Women, Peace and Security agenda to maritime security and underscored the importance of strengthening partnerships among regional and international stakeholders to promote sustainable peace and security.
Providing an introduction to the conference theme, objectives and expected outcomes, Ms. Sylvia Asana Dauda Owu, Regional President of Women in Maritime West and Central Africa (WIMOWCA), emphasised the need for collective action to address threats including piracy, human trafficking, illegal fishing and other forms of transnational organised crime.
She stressed that meaningful women’s participation in leadership is essential to building stronger institutions and achieving sustainable maritime security, calling for greater opportunities for women to contribute to decision-making and operational processes within the maritime security sector.
Representing the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Ms. Rikke Olsen, Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Denmark in Ghana, underscored Denmark’s commitment to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and highlighted the region’s importance to international trade.
She noted that safeguarding the Gulf of Guinea is essential to keeping maritime trade routes open, safe and resilient. Ms. Olsen further emphasised that lasting security requires the full participation of women, noting that increased women’s involvement in maritime security, governance and law enforcement strengthens the region’s collective capacity through diverse skills, perspectives and greater human resources.
Representing Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Transport, Mr. Eric Tetteh underscored the importance of translating policy commitments into concrete action. He stressed that maritime security is strengthened when women are fully represented in decision-making and operational roles.
He noted that “the future of maritime security will not be secured by guns alone; it will be secured by inclusive governance, resilient coastal communities, and by women who have always held communities together.”
The three-day conference brought together representatives from governments, maritime institutions, international organisations, security agencies, civil society and other stakeholders from across the region and beyond to exchange experiences, strengthen partnerships and explore practical approaches to advancing women’s leadership in maritime security.
The conference is expected to contribute to strengthening regional cooperation and generating actionable recommendations to support the Women, Peace and Security agenda within the maritime security architecture of the Gulf of Guinea.