West African Defence leaders have met in Ghana for the Defence Academy’s latest delivery to the region.
In collaboration with academic partner Cranfield University, this was the eighth time the Strategic Leadership Programme (SLP) has been delivered in Ghana, two iterations of which were undertaken online during the Covid pandemic.
Opened by Major General Dr Kotia, Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, the course was received by 30 military and civilian delegates, including five women. Four delegates represented the neighbouring nations of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo. This diversity of representation allowed discussions to cover broad and differing perspectives of the current challenges facing the region, resulting in mutual benefit for both the course participants and the delivery team.
Feedback received from delegates across the week highlighted the rich opportunities for engagement and networking within the region, alongside the programme’s key objectives to:
- explore leadership at the strategic level
- identify qualities required of a strategic leader
- recognise differences between command, leadership, and management
- understand the strategic context, contemporary challenges, and the tools for analysis
- understand strategy development and implementation
- identify organisational culture and understand the challenge of change
- understand the importance of leadership communication
- understand crisis resilience and risk in relation to leadership
- gain personal insights to leadership
Reflecting on the week, Wing Commander Elizabeth Seymour, who delivered the course alongside Dr Colin Robinson and Dr Dennis Vincent of Cranfield University, said:
During the week, Wing Commander Seymour and Dr Vincent were also able to meet with Akwasi Boakye from the National College for Defence Studies (NCDS) in Accra. Mr Boakye spent three weeks at the Defence Academy earlier this year, developing a comprehensive strategy for the modernising the NCDS library system.
The course was closed by UK Defence Advisor, Commander Richard Walters.
SLP is delivered by the Defence Academy’s International Section, part of the International Group. International Section provides post-graduate level courses to our international allies on strategic leadership and management of defence within the security sector, working in partnership with Cranfield University.