Accra: The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has held its 14th graduation ceremony in Accra. In all, 101 graduates drawn from Ghana, Nigeria, and Zambia successfully completed postgraduate studies in Conflict, Peace and Security; Gender, Peace and Security; and the Doctor of Philosophy in Conflict, Peace and Security.
According to Ghana News Agency, the ceremony, held on the theme: ‘Building African Agency for Peace and Security in a Changing World,’ was graced by high-ranking government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional leaders, and representatives from the security services and academia. It served as a moment of reflection and renewal for the Centre, which continued to play a pivotal role in shaping peace and security discourse across the continent. The graduates were honoured for their perseverance, dedication, and academic excellence with many of them, drawn from diverse professional backgrounds such as the military, diplomacy, and civil society.
The KAIPTC, established in 1998 and named after the late former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, has become a global centre of excellence for peacekeeping and conflict management training. Over the years, it has provided capacity building, research, and policy support to institutions, including the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS, and national governments across the continent. The 14th graduation reaffirmed the Centre’s vision of developing a critical mass of African peacebuilders and scholars capable of redefining the continent’s place in the evolving global order.
Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who was representing Mr Alex Segbefia, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice President, commended the Centre for its continued contribution to peacebuilding and human capacity development in Africa. He said the theme was timely, urging Africans to take ownership of their security and peace processes. ‘Africa must no longer be seen as a mere spectator in global affairs, but as a proactive and confident actor shaping its own destiny,’ he said on behalf of the Vice President.
Mr Segbefia announced that the government had approved the completion of the KAIPTC’s abandoned building complex through a public-private partnership arrangement. This, he explained, reflected the administration’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s peace and security infrastructure and expanding the Centre’s capacity to serve as a continental hub for research and training. ‘The completion of this complex will not only enhance the Centre’s training capabilities but reaffirm Ghana’s leadership in international peacekeeping and regional stability,’ he said.
Mr Emmanuel Habuka Bombande, diplomat and peacebuilding expert, delivering the keynote address, called on the graduates to uphold ethical leadership and justice in their roles as emerging professionals in peace and security. He said peace could not be sustained without fairness, equity, and inclusion, noting that political interference in traditional leadership issues and social inequalities remained major sources of conflict in Ghana and beyond. ‘Peace is rooted in justice; what we call just peace. Without justice, there can be no sustainable peace,’ he emphasized.
Mr Bombande also underscored the importance of African agency in shaping responses to contemporary security challenges, pointing out that African institutions like ECOWAS must be strengthened to prevent conflicts before they escalate into regional crises. He reminded the graduates that their education at KAIPTC equips them not only with academic knowledge but with a responsibility to apply that knowledge ethically and empathetically.
The Commandant of the KAIPTC, Air Commodore David Anetey Akrong, congratulated the graduates for their resilience and hard work, describing the day as a milestone marking the beginning of a new journey of service and leadership. He said the ceremony was a testament to KAIPTC’s continuous growth as a premier African institution in peace and security training, noting that since the introduction of its postgraduate programmes in 2011, the Centre had produced hundreds of graduates who now occupy influential roles in international organizations, the military, academia, and civil society.
‘This ceremony is not just a celebration of academic achievement but a reaffirmation of KAIPTC’s mission, to equip Africans with the tools, knowledge, and mindset to lead peacebuilding efforts on their own terms,’ Air Commodore Akrong said. He also highlighted the symbolic significance of this year’s graduation, which saw the conferment of a PhD degree on the only female candidate graduating in 2025, the second woman to earn a doctoral degree since the inception of the programme in 2015. ‘This milestone speaks to our commitment to gender inclusion and the advancement of women in peace and security,’ he stated.
The ceremony brought together dignitaries including the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Agyen-Frempong; the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Livinus Bessing; and the Deputy Rector of GIMPA, Professor Ebenezer Adaku, among others.