The Accra Initiative and Terrorism in West Africa: A Critical Review

Abstract

The Accra Initiative was originally adopted by Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Burkina Faso in September 2017 to promote coordination and cooperation towards addressing the security complex, especially the threats of terrorism within their national borders. This largely desk-based qualitative research paper examined concrete steps taken by state parties to fully operationalise the Accra Initiative, challenges it confronts and measures to remedy these challenges as efforts to stem the tide of terrorism from West Africa. The paper found that while significant progress has been made to fully operationalise the Accra Initiative, several factors, including operational and funding challenges, continue to dog its effectiveness and sustainability. Thus, the study recommended that for the Accra Initiative to effectively deal with the terrorism menace in the subregion, these challenges should be addressed as a matter of urgency.