Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia
Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has called for concerted action to prevent domestic inequalities that lead to urban migration and the creation of fertile grounds for conflict among countries.
Dr Bawumia was speaking on behalf of President Nana Akufo-Addo during a UN Secretary Council debate in New York on “War in cities: Protection of civilians in urban settings” yesterday.
He noted that the issue of poverty, for instance, which is an important element in the urbanisation drive would need to be addressed.
To this end, he said national initiatives would need to be supported to equalise access to economic opportunities in all parts of a country.
“This would help manage the factors that drive migration, lead to unplanned urbanization and nurture the environment for conflict,” he added.
Extremist groups
Dr Bawumia expressed concern about the threat posed to civilian populations by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Al Qaeda in the Magreb, organisations whose activities have become a growing threat to peace and stability as well as development in the West African sub-region.
He lamented that such groups “scapegoat civilians in their crusades and consider them as cannon fodder”, escalating migration and criminality in urban communities
According to him, the roles played by civilians in such wars demonstrate the complex nature of modern warfare.
Dr Bawumia pointed out that the world had witnessed what he called “the horrific effects of urban conflicts” in places like Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
He is convinced that urban conflicts create opportunities for violent extremist groups to radicalise young people.
Dr. Bawumia also met the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guteress, later yesterday before travelling to Washington, DC., the US capital, to hold discussions with the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Molly Phee.
They were expected to discuss the security situation in the Sahel, and political instability in West Africa.
Ghana’s membership
Ghana became a member of the UN Security Council in January this year for a two-year term.
Ghana is serving on the Security Council alongside two other African countries, namely Kenya and Gabon. Kenya’s term elapses at the end of 2022, having been elected a year earlier.
In November, Ghana will take over the Presidency of the Security Council on which it is serving for a fourth tenure since independence in 1957.
Among other concerns, Ghana wants to galvanise the Council’s attention to address violent extremism in the Sahel and growing piracy in the Gulf of Guinea
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