The French Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Anne Sophie AVÉ, has suggested that economic inclusion and strengthening the culture of a country is the surest way of addressing terrorism.
Although there is no effective “vaccine” for terrorism, Ms AVÉ said “we can only tackle terrorism by joining forces and developing inclusive economy.”
Speaking to the Ghanaian Times in an interview, Ms. AVÉ said another way Ghana could prevent terrorism was to look out for organisations that pretended to support communities but actually preach radicalisation.
In addition, she said there was the need for intelligence sharing between Ghana and its neighbours to curb terrorism.
While conceding that terrorism was the hardest thing to get rid of, Ms AVÉ said the state must work to address poverty because terrorist groups targeted persons that felt neglected by their states.
Aside the fact that terrorists threatened the lives and freedoms of citizens, Ms AVÉ said that terrorists sought to erase the values of togetherness, social and cultural cohesion.
She noted that the values, which the terrorists wanted to erase and foist their radical beliefs on the people were values that France, Ghana and the international community must stand for.
Ms AVÉ said France was supporting the Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS) initiative to fight terrorism in the West African sub-region.
According to the Ambassador, terrorists did not respect the rules of conventional war, the right of prisoners and that it was an enemy whose identity was unknown and difficult to fight.
She said the instability in Burkina Faso, considered as a buffer between Ghana and the Sahel was a concern, and appealed to ECOWAS member states to help the country fight terrorism.
“We need to help Burkina Faso to get out of it because otherwise, there is no limit. And the spread of instability will slowly come down to the sea,” Ms AVE said.
She observed that terrorists were trying to create a khalifat state in the Sahel with established sharia laws, which wouldreduce women to modern slaves, and stop young girls from going to school.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
