By: Sandra Udeike
The Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is convening a crucial three-day regional meeting aimed at enhancing peace mediation and conflict resolution efforts across West Africa. The gathering, taking place from April 28 to 30, 2025, in Accra, Ghana, brings together National Peace Commissions from ECOWAS Member States to foster collaboration, networking, and the sharing of best practices in peacebuilding.
In response to the region’s evolving security challenges, this meeting provides a timely platform to assess the performance of existing National Peace Commissions and Councils. Delegates will exchange lessons learned and explore innovative approaches to conflict prevention and resolution, with the collective goal of promoting sustainable peace and stability in the region.
The regional dialogue aligns with the ECOWAS Protocol on the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Security (1999) and Article 36 of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (2001), both of which urge Member States to institutionalise national mediation frameworks.
Delivering a welcome address on behalf of ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah (PhD), Mr. Constant Gnacadja, Acting Head of the Mediation and Coordination of Regional and Political Affairs Division, highlighted the historical processes that led to the creation of national peace infrastructures. He reaffirmed ECOWAS’s unwavering commitment to supporting these vital structures in Member States.
The event also received goodwill messages from the European Union Delegation (EUD) and the German Embassy in Ghana, both underscoring the significance of the meeting in advancing peace initiatives and peer-learning opportunities across the subregion.
Participants include representatives from National Peace Commissions, Councils, and Committees from ECOWAS Member States, alongside academics, conflict resolution experts, and officials from the ECOWAS Commission.
The regional workshop is supported by the ECOWAS Peace, Security, and Governance (EPSG) Project, co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
