Accra-Ghana, March 22, GNA – Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS Commission, has underscored the value ECOWAS places on its partnership with the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)
He lauded the enduring and rewarding partnership that had persisted between ECOWAS and WANEP for more than two decades.
Dr Musah made the remarks in his keynote address at the opening of the WANEP’s 2023 General Assembly, Fellows Conference and Partners Forum in Accra.
The four-day meeting is on the theme, “ECOWAS Vision 2050: Towards an Enhanced State-Citizens Relationship in West Africa.”
Whilst the Fellows Conference would facilitate deliberations around the theme, the Partners Forum would provide an opportunity for exchange of opinions between and among the WANEP current and potential partners on the state of peace and security and how WANEP is responding through its strategic plan which is now at its midterm stage.
Dr Musah noted that the new ECOWAS Administration (2022-2026) had raised peace and security, counter and good governance, and the top of its four year agenda equitable partnerships.
He said the ECOWAS Commission was operationalizing a comprehensive strategy and plan of action to eradicate terrorism and violent extremism from West Africa, with an enhanced role for the ECOWAS Standby Force and Civil Society.
He said the ECOWAS Commission was determined to operationalize the ECOWAS Social and Economic Council (ECOSOC) as the ultimate institutionalized interface between ECOWAS and civil society in the regional integration agenda.
“We hope to work with WANEP and like-minded civil society groups to make the ECOSOC agenda a reality in the coming months.” Dr Musah stated.
“Lessons learnt from the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2020 shows that for Vision 2050 to be successful, it requires not only political will and leadership but also States and citizens must understand it, own it, and commit to its effective implementation.”
He said the growing recourse to laws which violate human rights and undermined citizens’ capacity and responsibility to participate in governance could impede ECOWAS’ ability to attain its vision 2050.
Dr Chukwuemeka B. Eze, the Executive Director, WANEP, reiterated WANEP’s commitment to enhance inclusivity in peace and security was further demonstrated through prioritising their efforts for national, regional, continental, and global women, peace and security agendas within the framework of their partnership with ECOWAS and Africa Union.
Adding that among these efforts were series of capacity strengthening and advocacy engagements with ECOWAS and the Africa Union to increase the participation of women and youth in peace support operations.
He said these were organised within the framework of the Just Futures Project funded by the Dutch Government through a consortium led by CORDAID.
Professor Oumar Ndongo; Board Chair of WANEP, said the Network continued to accompany ECOWAS in the decentralization of early warning and early response mechanisms through training on data collation and thematic analysis of the staff of national early warning centers as well as providing mentorship to enable them manage the early warning centers.
