Former Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and distinguished international law scholar, Justice Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, has warned that the global security landscape is undergoing profound transformation, with the rise of new forms of conflict, violent extremism and emerging military technologies posing serious challenges to international peace and civilian protection.

Speaking at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) 15th Graduation Ceremony for the Joint Master’s Course 2026 at Schroder Hall in Accra on Friday, Justice Professor Mensa-Bonsu urged graduating peace and security scholars to apply their knowledge to help address the complex conflicts confronting nations.

She congratulated the graduates on their achievement, but reminded them that their education came with a responsibility to contribute to building safer societies.

“Your struggles have borne fruit as you graduate with well-earned certificates. Now, however, is the time to put the knowledge to work so that your country may profit from your exertions and be the better off for having invested in citizens like you,” she said.

The former Supreme Court Justice noted that international affairs were currently experiencing significant uncertainty, with traditional assumptions about global security being challenged.

She said that after the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, many scholars and policymakers anticipated a more peaceful world due to the decline of bipolar rivalry and proxy conflicts.

However, she argued that those expectations had not materialised, as renewed geopolitical competition, the emergence of new powers and shifting economic alliances had altered the global order.

“Unipolarity quickly revealed itself as illusory in the face of Russia’s renewed assertiveness, particularly in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa, as well as the rise of new powers and economic blocs challenging established hegemonic arrangements,” she stated.

Addressing the graduates as scholars of peace and security, Justice Mensa-Bonsu said proxy wars and internal conflicts had remained major features of international relations despite a decline in traditional interstate wars.

She pointed to conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Darfur, Liberia, Sierra Leone and South Sudan as examples of crises that exposed weaknesses in the international system’s ability to prevent mass violence and protect civilians.

She acknowledged the contribution of peacekeeping operations, particularly the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which she said helped restore peace in Liberia after years of conflict.

“At least I can say with pride that UNMIL brought peace to Liberia,” she said.

However, she noted that other interventions had achieved only temporary stability, citing Darfur as an example where peace collapsed after international engagement weakened.

She said the failure of the international community to prevent the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and the fall of Srebrenica demonstrated serious shortcomings in global responses to atrocities.

“The continuing crisis in DR Congo still remains a blot on the world’s conscience, and coupled with a sense of powerlessness in the face of unspeakable atrocities in Sudan, there is little room for optimism or complacency,” she added.

Justice Mensa-Bonsu warned that modern warfare was increasingly being shaped by technological advances, including drones and unmanned weapons systems, which were changing the relationship between combatants, battlefields and decision-making.

She expressed concern that civilians, who are protected under international humanitarian law, were increasingly becoming vulnerable as the definition of legitimate military targets expanded.

She cautioned that economic assets, including energy infrastructure, were increasingly being viewed as strategic targets because of their role in financing wars.

“At this rate, we may soon see food targeted not on supply lines but in the fields, and only because they may provide sustenance for the feeding of troops to enable troop deployment in war,” she warned.

She said the development of autonomous weapons raised difficult questions about human control over warfare.

“The current worry is whether these technologies will always rely on human intellect or develop on trajectories of their own,” she said.

According to her, the responsibility of the next generation of peace and security professionals would be to ensure that technological advancement did not undermine humanity’s ability to regulate conflict.

The Justice Professor described the Sahel region as one of the clearest examples of the changing nature of modern conflict, arguing that the situation could not be reduced to simple narratives of religious or cultural confrontation.

She noted that armed groups often pursued strategic alliances based on convenience, including cooperation between groups with previously opposing interests.

She also highlighted political instability in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger following military takeovers, and the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) after tensions with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Justice Mensa-Bonsu said these developments had complicated regional security efforts and raised questions about the future of collective responses to instability.

She further expressed concern about Russia’s growing involvement in parts of the Sahel following the arrival of the Wagner Group, describing the development as one that required careful attention.

“The developments can only be described as more than worrying, as they have a tendency to weaken the effectiveness of international instruments designed to regulate state behaviour through law and collective pressure,” she said.

Justice Mensa-Bonsu raised concerns about the expansion of extremist groups towards coastal West Africa, warning that countries including Ghana, Togo, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire must remain vigilant.

She said terrorist activities already affecting parts of northern Benin and northern Togo demonstrated the seriousness of the threat.

“Ghana need not hold its breath as it is only a matter of time that the terrorists, emboldened by success northwards and eastwards, would make a bid for this part of the sub-region,” she said.

She added that she hoped her warning would prove unnecessary but stressed the need for preparedness.

Justice Mensa-Bonsu criticised excessive military posturing among states, arguing that conflicts ultimately require political solutions.

She questioned the value of investing heavily in weapons while citizens struggled with basic needs.

“Why invest in expensive arms and ammunition when a country cannot afford food for its own people?” she asked.

She urged governments and international organisations to prioritise mediation, negotiation and preventive diplomacy rather than waiting until conflicts become violent.

Referring to the 2015 report of the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations, on which she served, she recalled its recommendation that the United Nations should place greater emphasis on political solutions and conflict prevention.

She said prevention remained one of the most effective tools available to the international community.

“An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of kill,” she said, emphasising the need for early intervention and dialogue.

Justice Mensa-Bonsu acknowledged that international institutions faced challenges but insisted that multilateralism remained essential.

She warned that weakening global cooperation could create conditions where powerful actors rely on force rather than international law.

“However weak the international regime is, it is better than nothing,” she said.

She argued that despite imperfections, international systems provided important protections, particularly for smaller and weaker states.

She encouraged the graduating class to contribute fresh ideas to address conflicts that no longer follow conventional patterns.

“The story is still being written, indeed it is your story now,” she told the graduates.

She charged them to develop innovative approaches to peacebuilding, noting that today’s conflicts require new thinking because “the enemy at the present time is not a conventional one.”