WACCE CONDEMNS COUP D'ETAT IN NIGER
The West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism (WACCE) strongly condemns the coup d’état in Niger on Wednesday 26 July 2023. This overthrow of the democratically elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum is a clear violation of the sovereign will of the people of Niger and a threat to regional stability. This development is a setback for Niger’s progress in fighting terrorism and her democratic journey. We are concerned that this event could embolden extremist groups in the region and make it more difficult for regional governments to achieve sustainable peace and stability.
WACCE takes this opportunity to emphasize that the alternative to bad civilian rule is not military rule – the alternative is better civilian rule. WACCE calls on all parties to respect the constitution and the rule of law and to work together to resolve the political crisis peacefully. WACCE stands with the people of Niger in their quest for stability, peace and a prosperous future.
Accra, 27 July 2023.
WACCE Organizes First National Forum on Countering Violent Extremism in Ghana. Accra - 22/08/2019
WACCE has organized a national forum on national forum on Countering Violent Extremism as part of efforts towards effectively dealing with the challenge of extremism in Ghana and West Africa. The event brought together stakeholders including members of parliament, officials from Ghana Immigration Service, Prisons Service, Customs Service, National Security, the Office of the Chief Imam, religious and youth leaders. The keynote speaker for the forum, Professor Emmanuel Kwesi Aning, highlighted the increased danger of extremism in the Sahel and the fact that no nation is immune to extremism. Ghana is lucky to have recorded no attack to far. The widespread challenges of chieftaincy conflicts, religious tensions and vigilante and other challenges can sow the seeds of extremism if not properly dealt with. He called on civil society and government to work together to resolve the existing conflicts and deepen the culture of pluralism and social cohesion.
The forum was funded by the British High Commission in Ghana.
WACCE Women and Girls in Preventing Violent Extremism in Northern Ghana.
Accra - 12/04/2022
WACCE trains more than 200 women and girls in PVE in Northern Ghana. Whilst violent extremism continues to grow in complexity and in geographical coverage, Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) programing and state counter terrorism measures have largely been focused more on males, almost at the exclusion of women and girls. Recent PVE experience however has shown that success in PVE will be hard to achieve without the full participation of women and girls. Women and girls play a defining and fundamentally unique role in recruiting, detonation of IEDS in areas that may be considered hard to reach areas for men and are effective intelligence gatherers.
It is against this background that, the West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism (WACCE) with funding support of the US Embassy in Accra embarked on this project to build the capacity of female youth to effectively work to build resilience against VE. The two-day capacity building workshops brought together 200 women and girls including 10 males. Participants were educated on Violent Extremism and Radicalization, Ethical and Responsible Leadership, Conflict Production and Conflict Resolutions Mechanisms, Women in Violent Extremism, Human Rights and Gender Based Violence, Citizenship, Volunteerism and Community Service.
The uniqueness of this program is in the fact that it employed innovative tools such as group discussions, debate, simulation and role play. It mostly featured female facilitators and alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) who led participants as facilitators and moderators for debates. Participants have been absorbed into WACCE Peace Network which allows to continue to engage in discussions around the project.