EU hands $50-million security package to Ghana

ACCRA — The European Union on Wednesday handed over a 50 million euro military package intended to bolster Ghanaian security forces, as West Africa faces mounting threats from armed groups and jihadists. 

The security situation in the region has deteriorated in recent years, with violent extremist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group threatening to expand their reach from the Sahel into coastal nations like Ghana, Ivory Coast and Benin. 

The package includes civil engineering equipment, advanced communication systems and riverine assets including boats aimed at bolstering Ghana's border security, intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism efforts.

It follows the EU's delivery of 105 militarised vehicles in 2023, with further defence support scheduled through 2026.

"Ghana deeply appreciates the EU's steadfast support. This equipment will empower our security forces to protect our citizens and uphold our democratic values," Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah said during the handover ceremony in the capital Accra.

Prosper Douglas Bani, Ghana's national security advisor, said a comprehensive security approach was necessary against "violent extremist groups, the expansion of transnational organised crime networks, and the persistent threat of cross-border instability".

He said the equipment would also help curb illicit activities such as smuggling and illegal fishing along Ghana's waterways. 

EU Ambassador to Ghana Irchad Razaaly said that "Ghana and the European Union stand together."

Border security remains a pressing concern as armed groups exploit weak governance structures and porous borders to conduct attacks and smuggling operations.

The EU's support aligns with broader international efforts to contain the spillover of insecurity from the Sahel and strengthen Ghana's role as a bulwark against regional instability.

Observers have warned however that without sustained political and economic engagement to address long-neglected rural areas, military-focused campaigns against jihadism in the Sahel nations of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have failed to stem the violence.

Benin has suffered numerous attacks near its borders with Niger and Burkina Faso, sparking fears of a spillover into coastal states, though researchers have said that armed groups from Burkina Faso are using northern Ghana to rest, refuel and evade authorities.