Northern Peace Conference Calls for Stronger Local Solutions and Coordinated Action to Sustain Peace

Tamale, Ghana, — Stakeholders at the Northern Peace Conference have called for stronger traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms, improved land governance, expanded economic opportunities and greater participation of women, young people and persons with disabilities in efforts to build sustainable peace across Northern Ghana.

The two-day conference, held from 26–27 October 2026 in Tamale, brought together Ministers of State, government officials, parliamentarians, traditional authorities, development partners, researchers, civil society organisations and community representatives to examine the underlying drivers of conflict and identify practical solutions.

Jointly organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ghana, the National Peace Council (NPC), the Northern Development Authority (NDA) and the Parliamentary Northern Caucus, the conference explored how inclusive governance, land justice, economic development and stronger community institutions can contribute to lasting peace.

The conference provided an opportunity to reflect on years of peacebuilding investments in Northern Ghana, assess progress and lessons learned, and examine the persistent drivers of conflict. It also sought to gather stakeholders' experiences and recommendations to inform future peacebuilding interventions, including UNDP Ghana's Country Programme Document for 2027-2032.

Discussions highlighted the interconnected challenges affecting Northern Ghana, including chieftaincy and land disputes, farmer–herder tensions, climate pressures, youth unemployment, misinformation and the threat of violent extremism in the wider West African subregion.

Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, emphasised the importance of addressing the economic and governance challenges that contribute to instability. He highlighted agriculture, agro-processing and irrigation as important areas for investment, while calling attention to the need for stronger traditional dispute-resolution mechanisms and improved approaches to land and chieftaincy governance.

Hon. Ali Adolf John, Northern Regional Minister, reinforced the importance of responsive local governance and community participation. He stressed that inclusion must go beyond representation, with women, young people and other community members having meaningful opportunities to influence decisions. He also highlighted the need for effective early warning and timely responses to grievances before they escalate.

Presenting an assessment of peace, security and resilience in Northern Ghana, Major General (Rtd.) William Ayamdo, Deputy National Security Coordinator in charge of Operations, outlined how local disputes, competition over natural resources, economic vulnerabilities and emerging security threats can reinforce one another.

He called for coordinated responses that combine security measures with mediation, inclusive development and stronger community resilience.

“Peace is not merely the absence of violence; it is the presence of justice, opportunity and trust. That is the peace we must build together,” he stated.

A central message that emerged from the conference was the need to move beyond dialogue towards practical, coordinated action.

As convenor of the conference, Niloy Banerjee, UNDP Ghana Resident Representative, underscored the importance of translating discussions into measurable commitments.

“Dialogue is valuable, but dialogue without implementation can deepen frustration. This conference should therefore conclude with priorities that are specific, owned and capable of being tracked,” he stated.

Similarly, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), emphasised the importance of integrating peacebuilding priorities into national development planning, ensuring that recommendations are linked to policies, investments and mechanisms for monitoring progres Development partners play an important role in supporting locally led peacebuilding efforts and strengthening the systems that sustain peace in Northern Ghana. The United Kingdom was represented at the conference by Terri Sarch, Development Director at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), who reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to locally led peacebuilding and called for greater continuity and coordination.

Reflecting on a UK-convened conference held in Tamale three years earlier, which helped lay the groundwork for the Northern Ghana Parliamentary Caucus, she encouraged stakeholders to build on existing partnerships rather than duplicate efforts. She also called for a focused set of priorities, distinguishing between actions that could begin immediately and those requiring sustained investment and institutional reform.

Beyond institutional reforms, the conference highlighted the importance of expanding economic opportunities as part of a broader approach to conflict prevention.

Over the years, UNDP Ghana, working with government institutions, development partners and local communities, has supported peacebuilding and resilience initiatives across Northern Ghana. Through the Atlantic Corridor Project, Peace building Fund, Gulf of Guinea Prevention facility and other interventions, these efforts have combined community dialogue and conflict prevention with livelihood skills, start-up tools and income-generating opportunities for young women and men.

Building on such interventions, participants called for expanded and sustained investment in agriculture, entrepreneurship, employment-linked skills development and access to finance, particularly for young people and vulnerable communities. They emphasised that economic opportunities, stronger institutions and effective conflict-prevention mechanisms must reinforce one another to address the underlying drivers of insecurity.

Traditional governance and land justice were also identified as priorities. Participants recommended clearer documentation of chieftaincy succession procedures, stronger traditional mediation mechanisms, improved land administration and community-based approaches to resolving farmer–herder tensions. Discussions also explored how indigenous knowledge, research and local experiences could better inform policies and conflict-resolution processes.

The importance of shared responsibility was reflected in the experiences of community participants.

For Yahya Mohamed of the Fulani Youth Association of Ghana, peacebuilding requires cooperation across different groups and institutions.

“All individuals, including people living with disability, the minority groups, the chiefs, and whoever is in the community, we all need to work together to get peace that we are all yearning for,” he said.

Women's leadership and the meaningful participation of underserved groups also featured prominently in the discussions.

Felicia Agamboka, Queen Mother of Bogofiu in the Upper East Region, reflected on the influence women can have in promoting peaceful coexistence within their communities.

“I realised that we women even have the power to spread peace to our various communities,” she said, expressing her commitment to sharing the lessons from the conference.

Hajia Lamnatu Adam, Executive Director of Songtaba, emphasised the need to address the institutional and cultural barriers that prevent women, young people and other underserved groups from influencing peacebuilding decisions. She also encouraged stakeholders to use the conference's recommendations to inform future programmes and interventions.

Adding a disability inclusion perspective, Muhammad Azuma Kama of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations called for greater attention to the experiences and needs of persons with disabilities, including access to peace education, economic opportunities and participation in community peacebuilding initiatives.

Participants consequently recommended stronger implementation of the Affirmative Action Act, the development of a National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, and more accessible conflict-reporting and early warning mechanisms to ensure that different community voices are reflected in peacebuilding efforts.

The need to sustain engagement beyond the conference was also emphasised by Minta Acheampomaa Constance of the Upper West Regional Youth Parliament.

“Peace is not an event but a process and this conference has given us a solid foundation to build upon,” she said.

She highlighted plans to promote peace education through school sensitisation and capacity-building activities, demonstrating how young people can contribute to sustaining the conference's momentum at the community level.

At the close of the conference, participants identified priorities for further action, including strengthening traditional governance and dispute resolution, improving land and natural resource management, expanding inclusive economic opportunities, increasing the influence of women and young people in decision-making, and improving coordination between institutions responsible for peace and development.

These recommendations provide a basis for continued engagement among government institutions, traditional authorities, development partners, civil society and communities to identify feasible interventions, clarify responsibilities and establish mechanisms to track progress.

The conference reinforced a shared understanding that lasting peace in Northern Ghana requires more than resolving individual disputes. It depends on addressing the conditions that contribute to conflict, investing in people's economic and social well-being, and ensuring that locally informed solutions are supported by coordinated institutional action.