The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and Ghana have agreed to strengthen cooperation in preventing and countering terrorism and its nexus with transnational organized crime.
Mr. Mauro Miedico, Director of UNOCT, and Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister for National Security signed a Letter of Agreement (LoA) during the 5th Anniversary Forum of the UN’s Countering Terrorist Travel Programme in Budapest.
The LoA is set to expedite the provision of technical assistance to Ghana under the UN’s Countering Terrorist Travel (‘CT Travel’) Programme, enhancing national capacities to tackle terrorist threats using Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems.
Mr. Miedico praised the collaboration, stating, “The partnership with Ghana is crucial in enhancing both national and regional security. The Government of Ghana’s commitment to this cause is commendable, and we look forward to continuing our joint efforts.”
Hon. Mr. Kan-Dapaah stressed Ghana’s dedication to implementing the agreed measures, emphasizing the importance of UNOCT’s support.
The agreement, he said, will significantly strengthen the nation’s ability to detect and intercept terrorist threats and other serious crimes.
The effective use of passenger data is vital for identifying, detecting, and intercepting individuals who pose a terrorism-related threat, as well as other serious criminals, before, during, and after travel.
The LoA aligns with UN Security Council resolutions 2178 (2014), 2396 (2017), and 2482 (2019), which urge member states to require airlines to provide API and PNR data to national authorities.
Launched in 2019, the UN Countering Terrorist Travel (‘CT Travel’) Programme aims to assist member states in responding to the growing threat posed by the movement of foreign terrorist fighters.
The Programme supports member states in preventing, detecting, investigating, and prosecuting terrorist offences and related serious crimes by collecting and analyzing passenger data in accordance with international standards and human rights principles.
The Programme adopts a ‘One-UN’ approach, providing tailored assistance to beneficiary member states through collaboration with various UN bodies and international organizations, including the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations Office of Information and Communication Technology (OICT), INTERPOL, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Currently, the Programme works closely with 76 member states, offering technical assistance to 57 of them and promoting regional cooperation through shared lessons and best practices in passenger data exchange.