By Iddi Yire
Accra, Aug 30, GNA – The threats of violent extremism and terrorism, once distant concerns, are now very real and present dangers on the African continent, Mr Frederick Adu-Gyamfi, the Director of Programmes and Operations, Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has said.
He said the absence of effective state presence in many communities had left a vacuum that extremist groups were eager to fill, drawing vulnerable youth into their ranks.
“Given these many challenges, it is imperative that African citizens, CSOs, and regional bodies work together to create a better future—a resilient and prosperous Africa capable of withstanding these shocks and delivering on the promise of the “Africa We Want”,” Mr Adu-Gyamfi, stated in his welcome remarks at the opening of the Stakeholders’ Convening on Enhancing Human Rights in Africa: Building Capacity for Advocacy on Education, Climate Change, and Elections, in Accra.
The five-day multi-stakeholder convening on Governance, Democracy, and Human Rights in Africa meeting is designed to strengthen the capacity of pan-African CSOs in leveraging data to enhance their advocacy and policy engagement efforts.
The programme was organized by CDD-Ghana with the support of the European Union (EU).
Mr Adu-Gyamfi noted that the aim was to build upon the foundation laid during the 2023 convenings, deepening the collaboration between CSOs and African Union (AU) organs.
“Together, we will explore strategies to more effectively advance the core mandates of these organs, facilitating impactful contributions from CSOs in promoting the work of these institutions to African citizens,” he stated.
He said the Accra Meeting was the second of three planned for 2024; the first was successfully held in Nairobi, Kenya, from August 5th to 9th, and the final one is scheduled for Cape Town, South Africa, from September 9th to 11th.
He said that the impetus for this project stemmed from the troubling trend of democratic backsliding in Africa, underscored by recent coups in Niger and Gabon in 2023, and failed attempts in several other countries.
He said the instability in the Sahel region, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, had only exacerbated the challenges facing the continent.
He said these events highlighted the urgent need for robust responses to the governance and security crises that threaten the stability of our nations.
Moreover, Africa was grappling with the devastating effects of climate change, worsen by inadequate strategies to mitigate its impact.
This, he said, had led to increased conflicts over resources, particularly in agricultural communities, and had exposed the continent to further economic and social vulnerabilities.
“The challenges of corruption, poor governance, and economic mismanagement have created a breeding ground for youth unemployment, social unrest, and the lure of dangerous migration routes.”
Dr Edem Selormey, the Director of Research and Knowledge Management, CDD-Ghana, urged civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media to step-up their advocacy commitment towards addressing Climate Change.
GNA