By Bright Ntramah
President Akufo-Addo has given the assurance that he will continue to abide by ECOWAS Protocols on Democracy and Good governance. As current Chairman of ECOWAS, the President has promised to respect the Two Term limit and not make any modifications in Electoral Laws, six months to elections.
Speaking at the Second Edition of the Kofi Annan Peace Forum, the President said, he will not be an impediment to the conduct of free and credible elections in Ghana. He, therefore, charged his colleague West African Leaders to do same to promote democracy and peace in the Sub-Region.
The forum seeks to provide a platform for robust engagement on critical peace and security issues affecting the African Continent. It is also to honor the work of former UN Secretary General, Kofi Anna and foster peace and stability through the provision of a globally recognised capacity and policy support for all actors on African peace and security issues.
The Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Center, Major General Francis Ofori who opened the forum noted that the Kofi Annan Peace Forum aims to build political will and reaffirm its commitment to democracy and credible elections. He said the state of democracy globally points to democratic backsliding and warned that if the trend is not reversed, it will have dire consequences on the Continent.
President Akufo-Addo noted that ECOWAS will ensure that democracy is returned to Mali and Guinea which have recently seen an overthrow of its democratically elected governments.
He said the Maintenance of peace and security remains a big challenge on the African Continent especially with the spread of COVID-19.
”Ghana being a non Permanent member of the UN Security Council, President Akufo-Addo said this is not the time for the Security Council to reduce its peacekeeping mandate on the continent,” according to President Akufo Addo.
He pledged to respect the tenets of the ECOWAS protocols on good governance and democracy.
The Kofi Annan Forum brought together over two hundred high-level delegates and diplomats from governmental and intergovernmental organizations including the African Union and its Regional Economic Communities, United Nations and European Union. It is focusing on Democracy and Governance in the context of a complex crisis in West Africa.