Ghana signs agreement with UNOCT to prevent terrorism

Ghana has entered into a partnership with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) by signing a Letter of Agreement (LoA).

This partnership aims to bolster efforts in combating terrorism and its connection with transnational organised crime.

The LoA will expedite the provision of technical assistance to Ghana under the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel (‘CT Travel’) Programme. This programme is designed to build national capacities and aid in mitigating threats linked to terrorist travel, utilizing Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Records (PNR).

The agreement was signed by Mauro Miedico, the Director of UNOCT, and Albert Kan-Dapaah, Ghana’s Minister for National Security. The signing ceremony was held in Budapest, Hungary, coinciding with the Forum Celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the UN’s Countering Terrorist Travel Programme.

Mr Miedico expressed gratitude towards the Government of Ghana for their continuous cooperation and robust collaboration with UNOCT.

He underscored the importance of this partnership in fortifying national and regional security.

On the other hand, Mr Kan-Dapaah acknowledged the support extended by UNOCT and affirmed Ghana’s dedication to effectively implementing the agreed measures.

The LoA will enable the United Nations to persist in aiding Ghana in enhancing its capabilities to detect and intercept terrorists and other criminals. This is in accordance with Security Council resolutions 2178 (2014), 2396 (2017), and 2482 (2019), which mandate Member States to ensure that airlines operating within their territories provide API and PNR data to the relevant national authorities.

The UN Countering Terrorist Travel (‘CT Travel’) Programme, launched in 2019, is a global initiative that seeks to equip Member States with the ability to prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute terrorist offences and other serious crimes. This is achieved by collecting and analysing passenger data, both API and PNR, in compliance with Security Council resolutions, international standards, best practices, and human rights principles.

The Programme, a flagship global initiative spearheaded by the UNOCT, adopts an ‘’One-UN’’ approach to deliver comprehensive and customized assistance to beneficiary Member States. This is done in collaboration with various United Nations bodies and international organizations.

Currently, the Programme is working closely with 76 Member States worldwide, 57 of which are beneficiaries of the Programme’s technical assistance. It also promotes regional cooperation by sharing lessons learned and best practices in the field of passenger data exchange.

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