Ghana launches EU-backed project to combat extremism and arms trafficking

Ghana has launched the ‘EU for a Secure Ghana’ project, an initiative designed to bolster the nation's capacity to prevent and respond to violent extremism, terrorism, and transnational organized crime. The project specifically targets the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons. Key objectives include strengthening state institutions while upholding human rights, enhancing combat capabilities against organized crime, and empowering civil society and local communities to contribute to conflict prevention.

In a related regional effort, West African nations are working to deepen cooperation to combat cross-border crime and improve border management. Under the EU-funded SHIFT project, implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, representatives from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo met in Accra to share best practices. The initiative emphasizes the need for stronger bilateral and multilateral coordination to ensure safe migration and build resilience in border communities against shared security challenges.