Interior Minister Henry Quartey has said that urgent stakeholder collaboration is required to mitigate the threats of migration, climate change, and conflicts in Africa.
He said considering the increasing threat of Migration, Climate Change, and Conflicts in Africa, it is important to highlight the complexities of the phenomena and how they serve as triggering factors for political violence and facilitate the infiltration of violent extremist groups in Africa.
Mr Quartey said these at a gala night organised on the sides of the 3rd Edition of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security (KAPS) Forum by the Kofi Annan International Peace Training Centre (KAIPTC) at Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.
He further emphasized that the link between climate change and forced migration is evident when considering the coastal zones of West Africa.
He also noted that environmental challenges have a considerable effect on food security, particularly for the African population that depends on rain-fed agriculture.
“For instance, fishing used to be a great source of livelihood for fisher folks but rising sea levels have drastically affected it. This has resulted in floods in certain areas, erosion, and even the disappearance of certain species of fishes in the sea. The impact of these environmental challenges and their implications on food security accentuate the vulnerabilities of the African population, which relies on rain-fed agriculture,” he said.
Mr Quartey commended KAPS Forum, organised by KAIPTC for their valuable initiative that emphasised the significance of adopting a global approach to achieve sustainable peace and security.
The Commandant of KAIPTC, Major-General Richard Addo Gyane highlighted that KAIPTC will continue to promote peace on the continent. He urged participants to redouble their efforts to tackle climate change issues.