Ivorian delegation in Ghana to understudy peace architecture
A 28-member delegation from Côte d’Ivoire on Friday visited the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to understudy Ghana’s security architecture.
The high-powered delegation, led by Madam Dogbo Paule Rene’e, the Ivorian Chief of Staff, visited the University to interact with the Department of Peace Studies of the School for Development Studies.
The members included Theodore Konimi, the Vice Chief of Staff, Bamba Abdoulaye, Director of Conflict Prevention and Conflict Management, and Kassi Patrick, Responsible for Monitoring Security Sector Reform under the National Security Council.
The others were Coulibaly Tiohozon Ibrahima, General Manager, Observation of Solidarity and Cohesion under the Ministry of Solidarity and Poverty Reduction, and Gabriel Yoman Ekanza, the Director of National Centre for Coordination of Response Mechanisms.
The Ivorian Chief of Staff said the delegation was on a fact-finding tour to acquaint itself with Ghana’s peace architecture and how it had evolved in maintaining national peace.
She said Cote d’Ivoire was in the process of modeling international best practices in nurturing sustainable peace and deemed Ghana’s peace architecture and stability as a perfect example.
Ghana had garnered a lot of experience over the years in peace-building and conflict resolutions therefore, visiting Ghana would enable the members to know the challenges, cost implications in setting up the process, and to explore the possibility of resource and ideas sharing between the two countries for mutual benefits.
Madam Rene’e praised all stakeholders in seeking national peace and cohesion in Ghana and extended invitation to the National Peace Council and authorities at UCC to Cote d’Ivoire to help that country to deepen collaboration to maintain peace in West Africa.
Professor Francis Eric Amuquandoh, the Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof Johnson Nyarko Boampong, expressed appreciation to the team and the Ivorian Government for the courtesy.
He pledged the University’s readiness to assist its Western neighbor to maintain peace, adding: “The effects of conflicts have no barriers, hence the need for countries to collaborate on security information sharing to avoid the consequences thereof.”
The University would also collaborate to have its peace and conflict books and other vital documents translated from English Language into French to enhance understanding and information sharing, he said.
Prof Stephen Kendie, former Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, took the delegation through the elements of Ghana’s security architecture, information sharing, technology, research and communal support systems for maintaining national peace.
He said conflict was an integral part of the society, therefore conflict management and security experts must identify the underlying causes, trends and use device tested mechanisms to solve or address the underlying challenges.
The vicious cycle of poverty and under-development, resulting in killings and impoverishing many, especially women and children, were identified as the biggest threat to peace in West Africa.
That notwithstanding, Prof. Kendie applauded the central role of Ghana’s security agencies, National Peace Council, opinion leaders and the citizenry for their collaboration to maintain peace, harmony and tranquility.
Source: GNA