On 4-5 September 2019, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), under the distinguished patronage of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana and the Chairmanship of Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS), will host “The Kofi Annan Peace and Security (KAPS) Forum.”
The Federal Government of Germany and the Government of Norway are providing financial support for the delivery of the forum.
Billed to be an annual event, the KAPS Forum will bring together political leaders, diplomats and experts to dialogue and share ideas on the most critical evolving peace and security trends on the African continent.
The forum also seeks to deepen collaboration between KAIPTC and international organisations such as the United Nations, African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Governments, development partners, civil society organisations and the business community.
The theme for the maiden edition is: ‘Peace Operations in the Context of Violent Extremism in Africa.’
Speaking at the media briefing for the KAPS Forum, Hans-Helge Sander, Deputy German Ambassador to Ghana noted that; “This Forum will provide an excellent occasion to discuss collective actions on how to strengthen a proactive international and continental effort to prevent and effectively counter violent extremism in Africa”.
The Deputy Ambassador also briefed the media on Germany’s long-standing and strong support to KAIPTC through the provision of Police and Military Advisors as well as a GIZ support mission. “Because of the already existing support the German government offers, we are delighted to support KAIPTC´s maiden edition of the “Kofi Annan Peace and Security” Forum in Accra”, he affirmed.
The Commandant of KAIPTC, AVM Evans noted that “the KAPS Forum is in memory of Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations who dedicated his life to mobilizing political will to address evolving human security threats”.
Commenting on one outstanding feature of the forum, he added that“our forum will be a working forum and we will ensure that when recommendations are made, they are followed through until progress is made”.
The Forum will bring together two hundred high-level delegates including eight former African heads of state and diplomats from governmental and intergovernmental organizations (including the African Union and its Regional Economic Communities, United Nations and European Union).
Security professionals and representatives from policy and research think tanks, development partners, training institutions and civil society groups have been invited and are expected to attend the forum.
