By Gabriel Ameh
Accra, Jan. 30, 2026 — Leaders and senior representatives from eight West African countries have agreed to strengthen regional cooperation and implement new counterterrorism measures in response to the escalating wave of terrorism and violent extremism across the region.
The resolutions were captured in a joint communiqué issued at the end of a High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security held in Accra, Ghana, from January 29 to 30, 2026.
The meeting was convened by the Heads of State and Government of Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, with delegations from Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo in attendance. Nigeria’s delegation was led by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
In the communiqué, participants described West Africa as the current global epicentre of terrorism and violent extremism, citing alarming statistics that underscore the scale of the crisis. According to the leaders, an average of eight terror attacks occur daily in the region, claiming about 44 lives, with more than half of global terrorism-related deaths now recorded in West Africa.
They stressed that the deteriorating security situation demands urgent and coordinated action, declaring that inaction is no longer an option.
Beyond military responses, the leaders acknowledged that sustainable peace requires governance reforms and human development initiatives. They pledged to prioritise food security, healthcare, job creation, education, and improved local governance through effective service delivery.
The communiqué also highlighted plans to leverage digital and emerging technologies to enhance border management and security coordination.
Recognising climate change as a “threat multiplier,” the leaders committed to integrating climate resilience and food security into peacebuilding strategies and agreed to develop a collective regional disaster response framework.
To ensure continuity, the conference recommended that the consultative forum be institutionalised as a biannual platform, supported by a monitoring mechanism to track the implementation of agreed measures.
The communiqué was formally issued in Accra on January 30, 2026.
