ECOWAS, EUROPEAN UNION, AND GERMANY CONVENE 2ND STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING TO BOLSTER PEACE, SECURITY, AND GOVERNANCE IN WEST AFRICA

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the German Government, held the Second Steering Committee Meeting of the EU Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) project today at the Fiesta Royale Hotel in Accra, Ghana. The high-level workshop served as a strategic platform to evaluate the project’s first-year implementation and formally adopt the 2026 workplan aimed at strengthening regional stability and human security.

Declaring the meeting open, H.E. Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (CPAPS), delivered a thought-provoking keynote address that challenged the traditional paradigms of international aid. The Commissioner emphasized that in an era where global multilateralism is facing significant strain, the relationship between the EU and ECOWAS must evolve into a “win-win collaboration” based on mutual respect and shared ownership. He urged participants to reflect on whether ECOWAS remains a “subject, object, or co-owner” in this partnership, stressing that project priorities must be directly drawn from ECOWAS’s own strategic needs to avoid a disconnect between regional realities and partner-led initiatives. He specifically called for the removal of bottlenecks preventing ECOWAS from receiving direct funding and highlighted that collective efforts must focus on the activation of the ECOWAS counter-terrorism force to tackle violent extremism and maritime insecurity.

Reinforcing this spirit of partnership, representatives from the European Union Delegation and the German Embassy, who served as co-chairs, expressed their continued commitment to the region’s stability. The German Embassy highlighted the importance of a coordinated European response, noting that the EPSG project represents a unified effort to support West African-led solutions. The EU Delegation reiterated that the project’s success is measured by its ability to deliver meaningful, lasting results that enhance the safety of the Community’s citizens. They welcomed the integration of the Danish Government as a new contributor, which further strengthens the project’s governance and regional visibility.

The EPSG project, which runs from 2024 to 2027 with a total budget exceeding €29 million, is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with additional support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The implementation is carried out through a technical partnership involving the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Expertise France, and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP).