President John Dramani Mahama has called for the creation of a new platform to engage Sahel states in joint security efforts against violent extremism, describing instability in the sub-region as “a cancer” that will spread if not tackled collectively.
President Mahama made the call at a joint press briefing with visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Jubilee House in Accra on Monday [November 3, 2025], after bilateral talks between the two leaders.
President Mahama said the withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS, and their absence from the Accra Initiative, had weakened regional coordination in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel.
“The Accra Initiative was set up as a platform for our joint fight against violent extremism in the West African sub-region,” Mr Mahama said.
“Unfortunately, the AES states are not participating in the Accra Initiative. What I have been engaged with is seeking a new platform that can bring them on board, because the fight is not theirs alone. It is a sub-regional fight because violent extremism is like a cancer. It continues to grow and spread.”
He disclosed that he had visited Mali a week earlier to discuss possible cooperation arrangements that could bring both ECOWAS and non-ECOWAS states into a common security mechanism with international support.
Mr Steinmeier commended Ghana’s diplomatic engagement and reaffirmed Germany’s support for regional efforts to counter terrorism and instability.
“Berlin and Accra are a few thousand kilometres apart, but we share the same concerns,” the German President said. “I looked with great hope at the Accra Initiative and value the efforts of the Ghanaian President, who visited Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to identify forms of cooperation. I very much welcome these efforts.”
Mr Steinmeier said Germany would continue to work with ECOWAS and other partners supporting countries in the region that seek stability through dialogue and joint security initiatives.
The two leaders made their remarks during Mr Steinmeier’s state visit to Ghana, where discussions also covered youth migration, skills development, and climate action.
President Mahama expressed Ghana’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Germany in creating legal migration pathways for skilled Ghanaian workers. Both leaders also agreed to work together on renewable energy and climate resilience ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, next week.
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