By Enock Ankomah
The European Union Special Representative for the Sahel, Joao Cravinho, has praised Ghana’s democratic resilience while warning of worsening security dynamics in the Sahel and their spillover effects on West Africa. Speaking during a media engagement in Accra, Mr. Cravinho said Ghana’s strong institutions and nationwide state presence have spared it from the jihadist attacks destabilizing Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
The European Union (EU) Special Representative to the Sahel, Joao Cravinho, paid his first official visit to Ghana since assuming office, underscoring the EU’s commitment to partnering with Ghana in efforts to stabilise the Sahel region.
Mr. Cravinho expressed concern about the surge in military coups across the Sahel but highlighted Ghana as a notable exception, a country distinguished by its consistent democratic governance and strong state institutions. He said Ghana’s nationwide institutional presence, which is lacking in many central Sahel states, plays a vital role in maintaining social cohesion and resolving disputes related to chieftaincy, land, and ethnicity through established systems.
On ongoing mediation efforts, the EU Special Representative to the Sahel emphasized the need for humility from all actors, adding that during his visit to Tamale, security agencies raised concerns about rising population displacement from Sahel conflicts, which is increasingly visible in northern Ghana.
Touching on the rise of coups and the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS, Mr. Cravinho said the EU is adjusting its strategy to maintain engagement with the three states. Mr. Cravinho said all 27 EU member states have adopted a renewed common approach to the Sahel, despite differences in national positions, and described EU–Ghana cooperation as “indispensable” to regional stability and security.
