The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, collaborating with Catholic Relief Services, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), and the Ministry of National Security, is organizing the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI) National Forum.
The Forum, scheduled for July 30-31, 2024 aims to promote social cohesion, security, and peaceful elections in Ghana.
It is under the theme “Building a More Peaceful and Cohesive Ghana: A Collective Endeavor.”
The SPI National Forum is aimed at addressing the increasing security threats, humanitarian crises, and socio-political tensions affecting the Sahel regions and their potential impact on Ghana.
The initiative seeks to prevent the spillover of insecurity from the Sahel, particularly in the Upper East and Upper West Regions bordering Burkina Faso, which have seen a rise in Burkinabé asylum-seekers since November 2022.
The SPI recognizes the urgent need to address these challenges collaboratively and provides a platform for dialogue and action to ensure that peace and security are upheld in the nation.
The Episcopal Conferences of these five West African nations namely Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Niger launched the Sahel Peace Initiative in November 2019 to promote lasting peace and social cohesion across the region.
The ongoing violence in the Sahel has led to significant displacements, increasing pressures on neighboring countries like Ghana.
The influx of asylum-seekers adds to our existing challenges of high youth unemployment, chieftaincy disputes, and potential political tensions that require comprehensive strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities.
Beyond immediate security and humanitarian concerns, the Forum will address deep-seated issues such as economic marginalization, poor governance, and social inequality, which contribute to communal resentment.
The event underscores the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration, bringing together government representatives, MPs, the diplomatic corps, security services, political parties, civil society organizations, international NGOs, women’s and youth groups, and media leaders.
Through this forum, the Forum aims to create actionable solutions that foster peace and unity.
Participation in the SPI National Peace and Security Forum is by invitation only, but the public and press are encouraged to follow the proceedings via live streaming.