The United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana will go further and faster to combat terrorism, organised migration crime, drug trafficking and other global threats following a summit in London.
A statement issued by the British High Commission in Accra, copied to the Ghana News Agency said the UK Government hosted the second UK-Ghana security dialogue between July 25 and 27, to discuss the countries’ shared interests in tackling global issues.
Madam Priti Patel, the UK Home Secretary and Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Minister for National Security of Ghana agreed to strengthen law enforcement agency collaboration, strengthen engagement on border security, work together to enhance cyber security in Ghana and support regional solutions to instability in Ghana’s neighbouring states.
Madam Patel said: “The UK and Ghana have a deep and long-standing relationship, and we are powerful allies when confronting the scourge of organised criminal gangs that operate across our borders.”
“Ghana is the beacon of freedom and democracy in West Africa and through our joint work we are tackling global threats and cracking down on the threats to our mutual security.”
Mr Kan-Dapaah said: “The UK is a primary and reliable partner to Ghana; therefore, we welcome essential security initiatives from the UK towards building Ghana’s resilience to address national and regional threats.”
“The Home Secretary visited Ghana last year in the first round of talks, opening a new Home Office-funded immigration taskforce office in the process.”
The statement said because of the joint working, since January 2022, 14 organised crime groups had been disrupted preventing the facilitation of 56 individuals from entering the UK illegally, saving the UK over £812,000 in the process.
It said through the New Plan for Immigration, that the UK government was working with countries around the world to tackle the heinous people traffickers who work across borders and bring misery to vulnerable people.
It said the Home Secretary hosted a reception with the Ghanaian delegation at Lancaster House on July 25 before counterparts discussed topics including, serious and organised crime, border management, security, countering terrorism and violent extremism, conflict prevention, and military over the course of the two-day event.
It noted that the Defence staff met to discuss peacekeeping, regional stability, counter-terrorism and maritime security.
Mr James Heappey, the UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces, said: “The UK is committed to expanding defence cooperation with the Ghanaian Armed Forces and we will continue to work together in frameworks such as the Accra Initiative to counter violent attacks and insurgency in West Africa and the Sahel.”
Source: GNA