Kofi Ampeah Woode
The unbalanced nature of globalization, including prevailing contradictions in the global trading system, curtails the policy choices and options opened to states on the continent and how that, in turn, works to close off their developmental prospects and institutional viability to mitigate the challenges associated with development, security and migration.
The Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and President of Ghana – His Excellency (HE) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, made that point at the two-day 2024 Kofi Annan Peace and Security (KAPS) Forum, which opened on Wednesday 28 February 2024, at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Teshie, Accra, Ghana.
He continued to say that population movements involving the citizens of African countries, are both an outcome of state capacity deficits on the continent, and a product of the interaction of African states with the global political economy.
The President was speaking as the Chief Guest of the KAPS ’24 Forum, which is the 3rd since inception in 2019, and had the theme: Migration and Societal Resilience in a Multipolar World Order: Addressing Conflicts and Building Peace in Africa.
He said population movements have always been an integral part of the human experience, often providing enormous opportunities, and serving as a vital catalyst for development and shared prosperity for both origin and destination states, and societies, and that the challenges have become increasingly varied and complex within the ongoing context of globalization, and new technologies of communication.
He furthered that equally critical is the phenomenon of climate change, which is accentuating the threats posed by food and water insecurity, heat stresses and droughts, rising sea levels and increased salination of arable lands, unpredictable weather patterns and extreme events, which include fiercer storms and floods.
Although African states are the least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, they currently bear the brunt of the developmental and security impacts of climate change, due to their reliance on climate-dependent sectors, such as rain-fed agriculture and nomadic pastoralism, he said.
The linkages between climate change and its potential to expose people to diverse forms of insecurity show that most population flows have their sources in both domestic and global injustices, he added.
The Chairman of the KAPS Forum, and African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns – Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, taking his turn said, the present era is the greatest human mobility in recorded history, with 1 billion people – a seventh of humanity – on the move at any one time.
He continued that, it is a cruel irony that even traditional migrant countries that have, in the past, taken pride in being a “migrant society” or a “nation of migrants”, are some of those who are no longer sure they want to welcome newcomers, although migrants are development enablers, critical for sustainable economic recovery, growth and development for social security.
“We can no longer think about our economies, societies or cultures without thinking about migration and human mobility. Migration is inevitable, necessary and desirable, when well governed”, Dr Chambas stated.
While there is not one migration policy that is universally applicable, a policy that respects national sovereignty in determining who enters a county and, that those who enter will uphold and respect local custom and laws, and also respect the age-old desire of people to migrate to seek a better life – which he termed mankind’s oldest poverty reduction and development strategy, is desirable.
He finally called for attention to contemporary aspect of migration in Africa, where there is a growing number of women who have begun to migrate in search for greater employment/economic opportunities.
HE Ms Sivine Jansen – Deputy Head of Mission, German Embassy, Accra, said migration, often cited as one of the root causes for destabilization, can actually bring enormous added value, when it can take place in an orderly, safe and regular manner, and that improving management of migration, protects migrants who are at greater risk of exploitation, and ensures better benefit from the positive impact migration communities bring: growth of business, valuable skills, new perspectives, diverse societies.
She said Germany supports the Global Compact on Migration, and is the second largest donor to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The Commandant, KAIPTC – Major General (Maj Gen) Richard Addo Gyane, in his welcome address, said the KAPS forum fits into the newly launched Strategic Plan of KAIPTC for 2024-2028, with a goal of contributing significantly towards improved performances of Economic Community of West African States, African Union, United Nations, Civil Society Organizations, in their respective governance, peace, and security mandate.
He said the theme was carefully chosen because of the interrelated impacts of migration, climate change and demographic pressures on human security, which are increasingly becoming salient on the global security agenda.
He furthered that West Africa has the highest rate of internal and external migration in Africa, and that KAIPTC’s research has demonstrated that porous borders are a major factor behind increased irregular migration in the sub-region, which then cause insecurity in many countries.
Within the West African sub-region, the implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement has been fraught with multiple challenges that include poor border security management, inadequate understanding of the provisions of the protocol, and incoherence among immigration procedures within the region, Maj Gen RA Gyane said.
Beside the opening ceremony, there were two panel discussions that empanelled a number of experts and dignitaries, who dealt extensively on the theme and other related matters, whiles a gala event was held at the La Beach Hotel, Accra, in the evening of the first day.
KAPS Forum ’24 assembled a large number of dignitaries which included; HE Boni Yayi – Former President, Benin; HE Hailemariam Dessalegn Boshe – Former Prime Minister, Ethiopia; Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, Phd – Commissioner Of Political Affairs, Peace And Security ECOWAS Commission; HE Leonardo Santos Simão – Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS);
Others were HE Ms Hanna Serwaah Tetteh – Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa; HE Kyrre Holm – Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Accra; H.E. Irchad Razaaly – Ambassador of the European Union to Ghana; Commissioner Silver Ojakol – Chief of Staff, African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat; HE Mme. Fatou Diallo Ndiaye – Chief of Mission, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, IOM.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
