KAIPTC opens 2025 Challenges Annual Forum in Accra

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has opened its doors to global peace and security leaders as it hosts the 2025 Challenges Annual Forum (CAF25) in Accra.

The event brought together policymakers, practitioners, and academics to critically examine the future of United Nations peace operations in an increasingly volatile world.

Held under the theme “Adapt and Advance: Renewing the Impact of Peace Operations”, the three-day forum from 14th to 16th October aims to contribute directly to the United Nations Secretary-General’s Review of All Forms of UN Peace Operations, launched under the UN80 initiative and aligned with the Pact for the Future adopted at the 2024 Summit of the Future.

Jointly pledged by Sweden and Ghana at the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, CAF25 is hosted in collaboration with the Challenges Forum International Secretariat, reaffirming Ghana’s rising stature in international peacebuilding and multilateral cooperation.

Delivering opening remarks, Air Commodore David Anettey Akrong, Acting Commandant of KAIPTC, described the forum as a “strategic and dynamic platform” to advance constructive dialogue and action at a time of growing complexity in global peace operations.

“This is in line with Ghana’s unwavering commitment to global peace and security,” said Air Commodore Akrong. “As one of the leading contributors to international peace operations, Ghana has always demonstrated its agency in the maintenance of international peace and security.”

He acknowledged the late Defence Minister, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, as instrumental in securing Ghana’s hosting of the forum, inviting a moment of silence in his memory.

Air Commodore Akrong called for an overhaul of outdated peacekeeping models, citing the increasing influence of violent extremist groups, non-state actors, and asymmetric warfare, particularly across Africa.

“Peacekeepers are now deployed in theatres where there is often no peace to keep,” he said.

“Such environments demand unique skill sets and new doctrines, especially in regions where state authority is contested or absent.”

He emphasised that CAF25 would contribute to shaping practical and innovative solutions, particularly in West Africa and the Sahel, where peace operations face immense operational and political pressures.

Deputy Minister of Defence, Ernest Brogya Gyenfi, reaffirmed Ghana’s historic commitment to multilateral peace, referencing the country’s role since its first UN deployment to the Congo in 1960.

“Our commitment is born out of conviction that peace anywhere contributes to stability everywhere,” said Mr Gyenfi. “Ghana has stood firmly in defence of multilateralism and collective security.”

He lamented the growing financial and political constraints on UN peacekeeping, warning that the “multilateral peace architecture is under strain and must be retooled to remain relevant.”

The Deputy Minister stressed the need to empower regional organisations such as the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS, which he described as “testing grounds” for international peacekeeping.

Citing UN Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023), he called for innovative financing mechanisms to support African-led missions and stronger UN-AU coordination to enhance mission legitimacy and impact.

He also identified climate change as a major security threat, particularly in the Sahel, where desertification, flooding, and displacement exacerbate instability.

Mr Gyenfi welcomed the establishment of Ghana’s new Ministry of Climate Change and Sustainability under the “Resetting Ghana Agenda” as a model for integrating climate and security policy.

On the role of new technologies, Mr Gyenfi cautioned that while tools like AI, drones, and advanced data systems can enhance peacekeeping, they also pose risks through disinformation and cyber manipulation.

“Adversaries weaponise tools to deepen divides,” he warned. “The challenge is to innovate responsibly harnessing technology for peace while guarding against its misuse.”

He advocated for better strategic communications and stronger digital defences within peacekeeping operations.

UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the African Union, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, in her keynote address, described peace operations as being “at a critical juncture” and called for sharper tools, realistic mandates, and smarter deployments.

“This mantra that we should do more with less is not sustainable,” she declared. “Mandates must be focused, agile, and tailored to local contexts with clear priorities and exit strategies.”

Ms Tetteh decried the overreach of peacekeeping missions weighed down by “Christmas tree mandates” and urged that operations focus on the “most critical peacebuilding tasks” before expanding to broader development goals.

Focusing on Africa, Ms Tetteh outlined the increasing danger posed by the convergence of violent extremism, organised crime, and porous borders, particularly in the Sahel.

She noted that extremist groups are often better integrated across the region than national governments and warned that disinformation campaigns were actively undermining UN missions.

“Misinformation is not just a communications issue,” she said. “It threatens the credibility of missions and fuels local resistance.”

She called for enhanced strategic communications, early warning systems, and real-time data tools in peace operations.

All three speakers, Air Commodore Akrong, Mr Gyenfi, and Ms Tetteh, stressed that CAF25 must go beyond analysis and deliver action-oriented outcomes.

“Let us not be asked to do the impossible but let us also not be afraid to do what is necessary,” Ms Tetteh said.

“Let us challenge assumptions, push boundaries, and review the impact of peace operations for the generations to come,” added Mr Gyenfi.

CAF25 continues through 16 October and is expected to produce key recommendations for the ongoing UN review process, positioning Ghana and the KAIPTC at the forefront of global peacebuilding reform.

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