Ghana and Canada are exploring stronger defence and security cooperation following a meeting between the Minister for Defence, Hon. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, and the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Myriam Montrat.
The Canadian High Commissioner paid a courtesy visit to the Defence Minister at The Square, where both officials discussed areas of mutual interest and opportunities to deepen military collaboration between the two countries.
During the engagement, Kenneth Adjei commended Canada for its continued support to the Ghana Armed Forces, particularly in military training, international peacekeeping operations and initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in global security missions.
He specifically acknowledged Canada’s contribution through the Elsie Initiative, which has helped promote greater participation of uniformed women in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The Defence Minister reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with Canada, particularly in areas such as military capacity building, intelligence sharing, peace support operations and defence technology.
He emphasised that modernising and transforming the Ghana Armed Forces requires continuous investment in institutional capacity to effectively address both internal and external security threats.
Adjei also identified cyber defence, artificial intelligence (AI), maritime security and advanced surveillance technologies as important areas for future Ghana-Canada defence partnerships.
According to the Minister, cooperation in these strategic areas will strengthen Ghana’s national security architecture while supporting democratic governance and regional stability.
Canada Reaffirms Support for Ghana’s Security Architecture
For her part, Canadian High Commissioner Myriam Montrat highlighted Canada’s longstanding commitment to supporting Ghana’s security institutions and strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to emerging security threats across the West African region.
She highlighted the impact of the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, which promotes innovative approaches to increasing the meaningful participation of uniformed women in United Nations peacekeeping missions.
The High Commissioner also noted that the partnership between Ghana and Canada had contributed to the development of a gender policy aimed at addressing sexual abuse within the security and defence environment.
She reaffirmed Canada’s willingness to continue supporting initiatives that strengthen the operational capacity and effectiveness of Ghana’s defence institutions.
Ghana and Canada Explore New Security Partnerships
The meeting concluded with both delegations exchanging views on emerging security challenges and the need for stronger international cooperation to address threats that extend beyond national borders.
Both countries acknowledged the importance of building on their existing diplomatic and military relations while exploring additional opportunities for collaboration in defence training, intelligence cooperation, cybersecurity and maritime security.
The engagement underscores the growing importance of Ghana-Canada relations in promoting regional peace, international security and stronger defence institutions.
The two countries expressed their commitment to expanding cooperation to help address evolving security challenges and improve the capacity of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Source: newsthemegh.com