ECOWAS, EU, Germany Partner To Manage Security Threats In West Africa

The Economic of West African States(ECOWAS) commission, in collaboration with the European Union(EU) and Germany on ‘ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO)’ project in a bid to prevent and manage conflicts and security threats in West Africa.

To this end, the trio successfully co-organised the 5th Steering Committee Meeting (SCM) for the EPSAO project on October 31, 2023.

Attended by representatives from the three organisations, the meeting combined both physical and vir-tual participation to ensure inclusivity in decision-making processes. Acting as the ultimate decision-making authority for the project, the committee deliberated on strategies and provided crucial guidance to ensure the alignment of interventions with objectives.

Co-chair of the meeting and representative of the European Union, Mrs. Celine Hoste, expressed her appreciation for the contributions made by all stakeholders, while underscoring the urgency of addressing transnational crime in West Africa, even as she emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts among the organisations for global peace. Hoste reiterated the European Union’s commitment to supporting the promotion of a robust peace and security architecture in the ECOWAS region.

Head of Cooperation and representative of the Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany in Nigeria, Mrs. Susanne Schroder reaffirmed the German government’s dedication to promoting peace and security in the region through the EPSAO project. 

She highlighted the significance of the German Chancellor’s visit to the ECOWAS Commission as a strong symbol of cooperation and partnership between Germany and ECOWAS.

Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Dr. Sintiki T. Ugbe, expressed gratitude on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission to the European Union and Germany for their strong partnership. Ugbe acknowledged the significant security challenges in the region and emphasised the importance of reinforcing collaboration for sustainable peace and security. 

She emphasised the progress made through the EPSAO project, particularly, in terms of security sector reform, which has yielded concrete deliverables.

The results and recommendations discussed during the meeting are expected to be documented in a report that will be presented to the ECOWAS Commission management.