The second Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum (KAPS Forum) has opened in Accra, the national capital bringing together leaders from the continent and peace and security experts.
The two-day forum organized by the jointly by Kofi Annan International Peace Training Center (KAIPTC) and the Kofi Annan Foundation in Switzerland, is on the theme: ‘Democracy and Governance in the Context of Complex Crises in Africa’
The forum which provides a platform for eh 200 delegates including former African Heads of State and high-level diplomats from governmental and intergovernmental organizations, address pressing peace and security issues los aims at building the political will for good governance and democratic consolidation in West Africa.
The forum coincides with the 20th anniversary of the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance which was adopted by ECOWAS Heads of States in December 2001.
President Nana Akuffo Addo, who opened the forum, expressed concerns over the reversals in democracy in some parts of Africa especially in West Africa. President Akuffo Addo who is also ECOWAS Chair cited the situations in Mali and Guinea as examples.
“Consolidating democracy in West Africa is becoming challenging with the unacceptable extension of term limits and interventions by the military” he stated.
President Akuffo Addo challenged his peers to stick to acceptable term limits, promising that he will leave office when his second term become due.
“As president of the Republic of Ghana and current chair of the authority of ECOWAS states in governance, I pledge to continue to respect the tenets of the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance. I will not make or cause to be made any substantial modification to electoral laws in the last six months before the next election. I will respect the two-term limit for the exercise of Presidential authority as stipulated in the constitution of the Republic of Ghana and will not be an impediment to the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections. I will hand over power to the next elected president on 7th January 2025, and I will rally my fellow ECOWAS heads of state to take the pledge and support them as they continue to work towards democracy and good governance in the respective countries.”
The conference which is bringing diplomats and peace and security experts together for two days was instituted in 2019 to honor the memory of Ghana’s late legend and international diplomat; Busumuru Kofi Annan, a former UN Secretary General.
The Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peact Training Centre, Major General Francis Ofori earlier in a welcoming address stated: “The Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum which the KAIPTC and Kofi Annan Foundation based in Switzerland are organizing is based on our shared commitments.
This forum is within the strategic objective of the KAIPTC to enhancing the capacity of ECOWAS and AU toward ensuring Peace and security in Africa through training, education, research and quality dialogues as the centre seek to become the leading and preferred international centre for training in ensuring peace and security in Africa.”
The KAPS Forum is hosting Six former presidents including Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia; Ghana’s two former Presidents; John Agyekum Kufuor and John Mahama; Sierra Leone’s Ernest Bai Koroma; Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan and Niger’s Mahamadou Issoufou as well as distinguished personalities including Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, and Elhadj As Sy, the Chair of the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation. The forum is funded by the Government of Norway, the Federal Government of Germany, and the Swedish Government.
