The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has emphasized the need for collective action to address the increasingly complex security threats facing West Africa. These threats, which include violent extremism, terrorism, and organized crime, are spilling across national borders and require a stronger regional response. According to ECOWAS, the region is confronting interconnected challenges that necessitate cooperation among member states.
The Director of Political Affairs at the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Babatunde Afolabi, highlighted the need for sustainable peace through collective efforts. Represented by Gnacabja Constant, Afolabi stressed that sustainable peace cannot be achieved by one institution or government alone. He emphasized the importance of working together, citing the three Ps: People, prevention, and partnership. Afolabi also noted that peace and security must go beyond crisis response, with prevention at the core of regional efforts.
ECOWAS is committed to providing platforms for regional institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, and peace practitioners to discuss emerging challenges. The Pre-west Africa Peace and Security Dialogue (WAPSeD) 2027 Strategy and Review Meeting, held in Abuja, brought together policymakers, peacebuilders, researchers, youth, and women groups. The meeting aimed to reflect on WAPSeD 2025 commitments and set the agenda for WAPSeD 2027. The theme of the meeting was “From Dialogue to Action: Reflecting on WAPSeD 2025 Commitments and Setting the Agenda for WAPSeD 2027.”
The Board Chair of the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation and Professor of International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University, Charles Ukeje, urged stakeholders to ensure meaningful participation of women, youth, minorities, and marginalized groups. He emphasized that civil society must give a voice to communities affected by insecurity and poor governance. Ukeje also called for the mobilization of local resources and capacities, warning against over-reliance on external actors in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
The Executive Director of the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Rafiu Lawal, noted that the security landscape is rapidly changing. He identified disinformation, information manipulation, drug trafficking, and illicit economies as new threats eroding public trust and social cohesion. Lawal emphasized that the tools required to prevent and respond to insecurity must also change, given the evolving nature of threats.
The WAPSeD, established in 2024, provides a safe and inclusive platform for stakeholders to discuss peace and security issues. The meeting in Abuja aimed to move from dialogue to action, with a focus on implementing recommendations. ECOWAS and the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation are working together to address the complex security challenges facing West Africa. The region's security landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with new threats emerging.
Key stakeholders are calling for a collaborative approach to addressing the region's security challenges. Three key points emerged from the meeting: the need for collective action to tackle trans-border security threats, the importance of prevention and partnership in achieving sustainable peace, and the necessity for meaningful participation of women, youth, minorities, and marginalized groups in peacebuilding processes. ECOWAS and its partners are committed to working together to address these challenges and promote peace and security in West Africa.
Key points
- ECOWAS calls for collective action against trans-border security threats
- Prevention and partnership are crucial for sustainable peace
- Meaningful participation of women, youth, minorities, and marginalized groups is essential in peacebuilding processes
