The Strengthening Border Security in Ghana (SBS Ghana) project, funded by European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), in collaboration with the Ghana Integrity Initiative, held a two-day roundtable discussion and workshop on “The Role of CSOs in Ghana’s Border Security Management.”
The Strengthening Border Security in Ghana (SBS Ghana) project, funded by European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), in collaboration with the Ghana Integrity Initiative, held a two-day roundtable discussion and workshop on “The Role of CSOs in Ghana’s Border Security Management.”
The workshop's main objective is to develop linkages between seven civil society organizations that are beneficiaries of the SBS Ghana Demand Driven Facility (DDF) grant, the National Security Ministry and other related stakeholders.
The two day event was attended by the European Union Ambassador to Ghana, ambassadors from EU member states, and over ninety (90) stakeholders drawn from selected CSOs, media, development partners, migration policymakers and implementers in Ghana.
In his keynote address, the Minister for National Security, Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah said “The call for enhanced collaboration between government, the actors within the security architecture of Ghana, and CSOs, towards finding solutions to the security threats that confront our dear country aligns perfectly with the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches advocated by the National Security Strategy which was launched in June last year.” He reiterated that “The roles of the government, CSOs and other stakeholders are grounded on unity of purpose and efforts to enhance social cohesion, tolerance, national security and stability must be accomplished”.
The minister tasked CSOs to involve the people living along border communities in the formulation; development and implementation of good strategic security plans. Stating that “, citizens must be encouraged to own the security of their respective areas.”
The seven CSOs who emerged winners of the SBS Ghana first and second Demand Driven Facility Call for Proposals, have received EUTF-funded grants of up to € 700,000 have initiated research and action projects, which will highlight innovative approaches and best practices on crosscutting issues, ranging from border security, trafficking in human beings, anti-corruption, and countering violent extremism, among others.
DDF is the second component of the SBS Ghana project, which seeks to work closely with civil society organizations, universities, research and training institutions, think tanks, traders' organisations and media organizations by inviting them to submit research and action projects highlighting innovative approaches and best practices on mobility and border management.