Ghana has taken centre stage in a renewed regional effort to stem the flow of illegal firearms across West Africa, as it hosted a high-level three-day planning meeting for Operation KAFO VI in its capital, Accra.
Government officials, law enforcement agencies, and international partners gathered to discuss coordinated strategies to dismantle transnational arms trafficking networks, which have long fuelled insecurity and armed violence in the region.
Speaking at the opening session, Ghana’s Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, called on participating countries to go beyond rhetoric and deliver concrete action.
“Let this planning meeting not be remembered as another workshop,” he said. “Let it be remembered as the beginning of a new phase in regional enforcement—where we do not merely react to threats, but anticipate, prevent, and dismantle them. We must see it through with unity, integrity and urgency.”
Operation KAFO VI is part of a broader initiative led by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with support from regional bodies and international partners, aimed at understanding and neutralising firearms threats before they cross borders.
The meeting focused on data-driven policing, cross-border collaboration, and empowering law enforcement officers with technical training and intelligence-sharing tools. The operation also seeks to close legal loopholes and reinforce the capacities of national institutions to trace and intercept illegal arms.
According to the UNODC, West Africa remains a key transit and destination hub for illicit arms, many of which end up in the hands of criminal groups and insurgents, exacerbating instability in fragile regions.
The presence of high-level delegations from across the region underlined the collective commitment to enhancing security and saving lives.
As the meeting concluded, delegates expressed optimism that the momentum generated in Accra would translate into tangible results on the ground, marking a turning point in the regional fight against firearms trafficking.
