INAUGURAL ADDRESS
ISAAC ASARE, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
Official Unveiling Ceremony and Fundraising: 10th March 2026
Our Respected Keynote Speaker, the Executive Council, Distinguished guests, Representatives of governments and international organizations, Members of the diplomatic corps, Security professionals, scholars, and peacebuilders from across Africa, Ladies and gentlemen,
Good day to you all.
Today marks a historic and deeply significant moment in our collective journey toward a more peaceful, stable, and secure Africa.
It is therefore with profound humility, gratitude, and a deep sense of responsibility that I stand before you to officially unveil the Association of Conflict, Peace and Security Experts in Africa (ACPSEA).
This occasion represents far more than the unveiling of an institution. It marks the birth of a continental professional platform dedicated to advancing conflict resolution, dispute resolution, peace, strengthening security cooperation, and promoting collaborative conflict resolution across Africa.
At its core, ACPSEA is built on one fundamental belief: Africa must lead its own peacebuilding and security agenda.
The vision for ACPSEA began in 2024, when a group of professionals, scholars, and practitioners from different parts of Africa shared a common conviction: that Africa must take greater ownership of its peace, conflict management, and security architecture.
While governments, regional bodies, and international partners continue to play important roles, we recognized the need for a continental professional community of experts capable of contributing knowledge, skills, and collaborative solutions to Africa’s complex peace and security challenges.
Through dedication, collaboration, and perseverance, that vision gradually matured into an institution.
In June 2025, ACPSEA was formally registered as a professional body under the Professional Bodies Registration Act, 1973 (Act 143) of Ghana, establishing the legal and institutional foundation for what we believe will become an important continental platform for peace and security professionals.
Today, we proudly unveil ACPSEA to Africa and to the international community.
Distinguished guest, ladies and gentlemen,
Our gathering today takes place at a critical moment in Africa’s history.
Across our continent, we continue to witness complex, interconnected, and evolving security challenges that test the resilience of our institutions and the determination of our people.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, persistent armed conflicts in the eastern regions continue to destabilize communities and displace millions.
In Sudan, a devastating war between rival military factions has created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, not leaving Somalia and the Central Africa Republic.
Across the Sahel region, political instability and military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger reflect deeper struggles over governance, insecurity, and the containment of violent extremism. Not to remind Ghanaians of pain, but these extremist activities in Burkina Faso has led to the dead of eight (8) innocent Ghanaian Traders.
In Nigeria, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to attack communities, undermining stability and threatening civilian lives.
Across the Lake Chad Basin, rival jihadist groups continue to compete for territorial control, demonstrating the evolving and transnational nature of modern security threats.
Beyond land-based conflicts, maritime insecurity has also emerged as a growing challenge.
The Gulf of Guinea, which stretches along the West African coastline, remains one of the most vulnerable maritime zones in the world, where piracy and armed robbery threaten trade routes, maritime security, and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Even here in Ghana, fishermen have increasingly reported attacks at sea in which criminals steal the outboard motors of their canoes and leave them stranded in open waters, turning what should be a livelihood into a life-threatening experience.
These realities remind us that peace and security cannot be taken for granted.
They also remind us that Africa must strengthen its institutional capacity to prevent conflicts, manage crises, and build sustainable peace.
Many years ago, one of Africa’s most distinguished sons, Kofi Annan, reminded the world that:
“Africa must take greater responsibility for its own problems and solutions.”
This statement is not merely an observation; it is a continental responsibility.
As he also wisely noted:
“There can be no long-term security without development, and there can be no long-term development without security.”
Peace is not simply the absence of violence.
Peace is the presence of justice, accountable institutions, economic opportunity, and inclusive governance.
The late Nelson Mandela once reminded us that:
“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”
This philosophy of dialogue and reconciliation lies at the heart of modern conflict resolution.
Former South African President Thabo Mbeki also reminded us of Africa’s enduring resilience when he declared:
“Whatever the setbacks of the moment, nothing can stop us now. Whatever the difficulties, Africa shall be at peace.”
These powerful words inspire the work we begin today.
Distinguished colleagues,
According to its founding constitution, ACPSEA exists to promote professionalism, knowledge exchange, and collaborative action in the fields of conflict/dispute resolution, peacebuilding, and security studies across Africa.
Our objectives include:
• Building a continental network of professionals working in mediation, peacebuilding, diplomacy, and security analysis.
• Promoting research, education, and professional training in conflict, peace, and security studies.
• Encouraging collaboration between practitioners, academics, policymakers, and security institutions.
• Supporting early warning systems, conflict prevention, and peaceful dispute resolution across African societies.
• Empowering the next generation of African peacebuilders and security professionals.
In doing so, ACPSEA seeks to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s broader peace and security architecture.
Distinguished guests,
ACPSEA has been structured to ensure professionalism, accountability, and continental participation.
The Association is governed by an Executive Council, led by the President and supported by specialized councils, including:
• The Council for Conflict
• The Council for Peace
• The Council for Security
These bodies will guide the Association’s professional, research, and policy initiatives.
Supporting the governance structure are National Chapters across African countries, which will serve as platforms for professional engagement and collaboration within their respective jurisdictions.
The Association is also supported by key institutional mechanisms, including:
• The Disciplinary Committee
• Special Committees
• The Registry, which manages the administrative and operational affairs of the Association.
Through these structures, ACPSEA aims to build a credible, professional, and sustainable continental institution.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Leadership and ethical responsibility remain central to peacebuilding.
The great Tanzanian statesman Julius Nyerere taught us the principle of servant leadership: honesty, accountability, and stewardship in public service.
Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee also reminds us that:
“Anger is very effective fuel… that thing that propels you into action.”
Across Africa, many young people feel frustration about insecurity, inequality, and injustice.
Our responsibility is to transform that frustration into constructive leadership and peacebuilding action.
ACPSEA envisions a future where:
• African professionals lead mediation and conflict resolution across the continent.
• African research institutions shape global peace and security debates.
• Young Africans are trained as peacebuilders and conflict prevention specialists.
• Regional collaboration strengthens Africa’s resilience against emerging threats.
• Full adoption of a non-violent way of resolving dispute such as an Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism, across the justice systems in Africa.
In the words of former Ghanaian President John Evans Atta Mills:
“I intend to pursue relentlessly all avenues for entrenching peace and unity.”
Distinguished guests,
The unveiling of ACPSEA today is only the beginning.
The success of this association will depend on the commitment of professionals, institutions, and partners across Africa and beyond.
I therefore extend an open invitation to governments, individuals, professionals, international organizations, security institutions, academic communities, and civil society organizations to join us in building this continental platform.
Together, we can strengthen Africa’s capacity to prevent conflicts, resolve disputes, and sustain peace.
As we have unveiled ACPSEA today, let us remember that peace is not an event; peace is a continuous responsibility.
Let us work together to build an Africa:
Where dialogue replaces violence.
Where institutions are stronger than divisions.
And where the next generation inherits a continent defined not by conflict, but by peace, stability, and opportunity.
With humility, hope, and determination, I hereby declare that the Association of Conflict, Peace, and Security Experts in Africa (ACPSEA) has been officially unveiled and is open for collaborations.
May God bless Africa.
Thank you very much.