News

Ghana Army Successfully Hosts IDEC 2024

• 02 Sep
• Admin

The Ghana Army in collaboration with Great Minds Events LLC and Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute has successfully hosted the second edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEC 2024) from Wednesday 28 to Thursday 29 August 2024.

The event which was held at the Burma Hall and the Great Minds Event Center in Burma Camp was themed, ‘Enhancing Regional Mechanisms for Addressing Contemporary Security Challenges in Africa.’

Speaking at the opening ceremony as the Guest of honour, the President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo emphasized the need for African nations to strengthen their regional mechanisms, enhance collaboration, share intelligence and best practices to create a safer and more secured continent for their people. He attested that the theme for the event was timely because despite Africa’s significant economic growth, social development and increased political stability, the continent continues to face complex security challenges that threaten the progress made in recent years.

In furtherance, he said Africa’s security rests with African nations, hence the need for strategies such as Strengthening Intelligence Sharing and Coordination, Building Capacity for Peacekeeping and Counterterrorism, Constituting the ECOWAS Standby Force, Promoting Cyber Security Resilience, among others to be accompanied by international cooperation to support their efforts to enhance regional mechanisms for security.

In his welcome address, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lt Gen Thomas Oppong Peprah said the current situation where innovations in military technology and defence alliances are driving the conduct of warfare accentuates the importance of such exhibitions and conferences.

He further affirmed that, IDEC 24 was designed to deal with the contemporary security threats that confront us and this should provoke a reappraisal and reassessment of the existing sub-regional and regional mechanisms designed to deal with the contemporary security threats.

Closing the event, Ghana’s Minister for Defence, Hon Dominic Nitiwul emphasised the success of IDEC 24 in fostering crucial discussions on current threats and reviewing existing regional and sub-regional mechanisms. He highlighted the importance of the event in generating further dialogue at regional meetings and cabinet sessions across the continent.

The Minister also recognised the significant contributions of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), particularly the Chief of the Army Staff, Major General Bismarck Kwasi Onwona, in organising the event. He expressed gratitude to the Great Minds Events LLC, the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute and the Central Planning Committee, led by Brigadier General Yehuza Salifu, for their dedication to the success of the event.

On his part, the Chief of the Army Staff, Major General Bismarck Kwasi Onwona stated that the two-day event was set up to deliberate on matters concerning collective defence and security and provide an update on relevant technologies needed to confront contemporary threats.

He urged Commanders of GAF and the other sister security agencies to work diligently to secure necessary collaborations and synergy to share intelligence and optimize African standards.