Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has sounded the alarm over growing global instability, warning that rising insecurity, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological disruption threaten international peace and development if countries fail to strengthen cooperation.
Addressing a delegation from the Royal College of Defence Studies during a courtesy call at Parliament House in Accra, Mr Bagbin stressed that the world was entering an era of “profound uncertainty” that demanded urgent collective action, especially among Commonwealth nations and long-standing allies such as the United Kingdom.
“It is only when people enjoy security and stability that development becomes meaningful,” the Speaker declared, urging nations to “bond and move together” instead of drifting apart amid global tensions.
Mr Bagbin warned that fragmentation among nations would only deepen global vulnerabilities, insisting that stronger alliances were now more critical than ever as countries grapple with emerging security threats, economic uncertainty, and technological disruption.
“There is no need to split, and we still need to work together,” he said, expressing satisfaction that the Commonwealth bloc remained resilient despite mounting international pressures.
In a pointed reference to Brexit, the Speaker suggested that nations should not wait for painful consequences before recognising the value of unity and strategic cooperation.
“We do not need to learn the bitter lesson of the UK exiting the European Union before we work together because we are one and the same people,” he stated.
Mr Bagbin also raised fresh concerns about the growing influence of artificial intelligence, warning that technological advancement could soon disrupt employment systems and fundamentally reshape global security operations.
“If you do not do that, before you realise many of you will be unemployed. Security will not use human intervention but AI,” he cautioned.
The Speaker argued that nations must begin preparing now for the implications of AI-driven security systems and automation, while ensuring technology does not deepen inequality or instability.
The delegation, led by Sir George Norton, consisted of senior security experts from nine countries currently in Ghana to study security challenges and exchange strategic experiences with Ghanaian institutions and Commonwealth partners.
Responding to the Speaker’s remarks, Sir George Norton said the Royal College of Defence Studies focuses on preparing senior military officers, diplomats and policymakers to confront emerging global threats at the highest strategic level.
“Our focus is at the grand strategic level and it is really about understanding the challenges and opportunities facing the world and how we might best address them,” he explained.
Mr Bagbin further stressed that global peace and prosperity could only be sustained if countries embraced cooperation over competition, arguing that every nation possessed unique strengths capable of contributing to shared progress if given the right environment to thrive.
