Latest news with #DepartmentofPoliticalAffairs
Zawya
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission Convenes Member States' National Peace Commission, Councils And Committees in Accra to Enhance Collaboration, Networking and Partnership in Peace Building
The Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is holding a 3-day regional meeting with ECOWAS Member States' National Peace Commissions to promote the strengthening, collaboration, networking and partnership on peace mediation. The regional meeting is holding from 28th to 30th April 2025, in Accra, Ghana. Mindful of the ever-changing nature of conflict in the region, the regional meeting presents a critical and timely opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of National Peace Commissions and Councils; exchange insights on best practices; and strengthen networking and collaboration, with the ultimate aim of securing long-lasting peace and security across Member States. The regional meeting aligns with the relevant provisions of ECOWAS Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Security (1999), as well as Article 36 of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (2001) calling on Member States to institutionalize a national mediation system. Welcoming the participants, the Commissioner for Political Affairs Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah (PhD), represented by Mr. Constant Gnacadja, Ag Head of Division, Mediation and Coordination of Regional and Political Affairs (MCRPA), recalled the processes that led to the establishment of national peace infrastructures in Member States, reaffirming the commitment of ECOWAS to continue to support the work of these structures in Member States. Goodwill Messages from the representatives of the European Union Delegation (EUD) and the German Embassy, Ghana noted the importance and timeliness of this meeting amidst the region's challenges to facilitate peer-learning to build peaceful societies in ECOWAS Member States. Participants include representatives of the National Peace Commissions/Councils/Committees from ECOWAS Member States, academics and thematic experts, as well as from the ECOWAS Commission. The workshop is held with support by the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) project, which is co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ GmbH), Expertise France (EF), and the Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas (FIAP). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Zawya
13-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Conducts Needs Assessment Workshop with its Partner-Training Centres of Excellence and Institutes
The Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS Commission has begun a capacity needs assessment Workshop on the 8th of April 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria to build greater synergies with its Training Centres of Excellence (TCE) and Training Institutes (TI). The Three-day Workshop is holding among others, to jointly identify the capacity gaps in aid of the delivery by TCEs and TIs, of improved services to ECOWAS and its member States, while also supporting the various ECOWAS Departments within the Framework of the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) project. Declaring the Workshop opened, the ECOWAS' Director, Peacekeeping and Regional Security (DPKRS), represented by Ag Head of Division, Peace Support Operations Dr. Sani Adamu, noted that a key focus of the EPSG is the strengthening of ECOWAS training infrastructure. He further noted that the current and emerging security challenges ranging from insurgencies, terrorism and banditry calls for tailor – made trainings for our armed and security services in the region and hence a central role of the ECOWAS TCEs and TIs. Also speaking, Teresa Krafft of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) who stood in for Yvonne Akpasom, the head, EPSG Project maintained that the EPSG project seeks to support ECOWAS in addressing security and governance challenges in West Africa by enhancing conflict early warning and response, security sector reform, electoral support, as well as women, youth, peace and security. ' This Workshop unites us with a shared goal of strengthening the cooperation system between ECOWAS and the Training Centres of Excellence to enable them to respond effectively to their core mandate and emerging challenges within the region ' She added. The workshop is convened to deliberate on the preliminary findings of the Capacity Needs Assessment that was conducted to examine the gaps that are crucial for the various TCEs and TIs. The Workshop is being facilitated by Reverend John Nkum Associates. The new EPSG project which is an offshoot of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO), is co-financed by the European Union&the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
