By Juliet Akosua Danquah
Ghana has taken the reins of the Committee for Regional Coordination (CRC) under the Social Cohesion Project for the Northern Regions of the Gulf of Guinea (SOCO), with Minister Ahmed Ibrahim pledging robust leadership to tackle insecurity, climate change, and economic vulnerability.
The CRC meeting in Côte d’Ivoire brought together representatives from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Ghana to review progress and align priorities.
In his address, Hon. Ibrahim emphasised the need for collective action, noting that challenges in the region are interconnected.
“Our collective safety depends on how well we work together. No country can address these challenges alone,” he stated.
Ghana’s assumption of the CRC presidency comes as the country has benefited from SOCO investments in schools, health facilities, and local markets, impacting 1.5 million people in six northern regions.
As CRC President, Ghana will focus on strengthening coordination, knowledge sharing, and joint responses to fragility and climate-related risks.
Hon. Ibrahim called for sustained collaboration among member states, development partners, and the private sector to consolidate gains and expand impact. “Our shared responsibility is to ensure that our border communities become places of opportunity and stability, not vulnerability,” he concluded.
