Sierra Leone is participating in a high-level consultative conference of intelligence chiefs and senior security officials from West Africa and the Sahel, currently taking place in Accra, Ghana, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation against terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crime.

The two-day conference was officially opened on Thursday, 29 January, at a ceremony held at the Movenpick Ambassadorial Hotel in Accra. It has brought together intelligence and security leaders from across the sub-region to deliberate on coordinated responses to the growing security threats confronting West Africa and the Sahel.

Opening the conference, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, warned that West Africa and the Sahel have become the new epicentre of global terrorism. He said the region now records an average of eight terror attacks daily, resulting in approximately 44 deaths, and accounts for nearly half of all terrorist incidents recorded globally.

Minister Ablakwa noted that over the past 15 years, terror attacks in the region have increased by 1,266 percent, while the death toll has risen by 2,860 percent. He described the situation as a “grim reality” and stressed that the threats facing the region are transnational in nature and cannot be effectively addressed by individual countries acting alone.

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According to him, the security challenges confronting West African states are not confined to any single nation, underscoring the need for a coordinated regional response. He called for a transformed culture of trust, transparency and intelligence-sharing among states, built on key principles including trust, resource mobilization, the integration of security and development efforts, and far-sightedness to anticipate risks before they escalate.

He further explained that the outcomes of the intelligence chiefs’ deliberations would inform subsequent ministerial discussions and contribute to the draft communiqué to be considered by regional leaders at a Heads of State Summit.

Also speaking at the opening, Ghana’s Minister for the Interior and National Security, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, described the meeting as a crucial moment for the sub-region, noting that terrorism and violent extremism have intensified in scale, complexity and geographical reach.

He highlighted escalating attacks in the Central Sahel, including assaults on military installations, civilian populations and critical infrastructure, which have led to mass displacement and worsening humanitarian conditions.

Minister Mubarak emphasized that security challenges can no longer be addressed solely through military means, but must be embedded within a broader framework where development and security reinforce each other.

While acknowledging the role of existing regional and continental mechanisms such as ECOWAS and the African Union, he said there is a need for renewed strategic direction, stronger coordination and practical intelligence cooperation that delivers tangible results on the ground.

Sierra Leone’s participation at the conference is being led by Martin Lavahun, Deputy Director General of the Central Intelligence and Security Agency (CISA) in the Office of the President. He is accompanied by Brigadier General Sheik Sulaiman Massaquoi, the designated Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Force at the ECOWAS Commission.

The high-level consultative conference has drawn delegations from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Liberia, Mauritania, Mali, Sierra Leone and Togo, alongside representatives from the African Union and international development partners.