West Africa records average of 44 terrorism-related deaths daily — Ablakwa

Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that West Africa experiences an average of 44 deaths each day due to terrorist attacks, with roughly eight incidents occurring daily across the sub-region.

The Minister highlighted that between 47 and nearly 60 percent of all global terrorist activities now take place in West Africa, underscoring the region’s heightened vulnerability to violent extremism and insecurity.

Describing the situation as a grim and urgent reality, Mr. Ablakwa stressed the need for stronger collaboration among West African states to address the escalating threat.

He made these remarks at the High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security held in Accra, which brought together security chiefs and senior officials from Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Mali, and other countries in the sub-region.

The conference aims to bolster regional cooperation, enhance intelligence sharing, and develop coordinated strategies to anticipate, confront, and ultimately reduce insecurity across West Africa.

Participants are expected to deliberate on practical measures to combat terrorism, transnational crime, and other emerging security challenges that threaten peace and stability in the region.