LESSONS LEARNED WORKSHOP ON PEACE SUPPORT OPERATIONS: ECOWAS DEEPENS COLLABORATION WITH STRATEGIC STAKEHOLDERS TO STRENGTHEN PEACE AND SECURITY IN WEST AFRICA

Abuja, Nigeria, 06 May 2026 – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening peace and security in West Africa through deeper collaboration and strategic engagement with key regional stakeholders. In furtherance of this commitment, the ECOWAS Commission convened a three-day Lessons Learned Workshop (LLW) on Peace Support Operations (PSOs) deployments in the region.

Organised by the Peace Support Operations Division of the Directorate of Peacekeeping and Regional Security, the Workshop, held from 4–6 May 2026 in Abuja,Nigeria, focused on lessons learned from recent ECOWAS PSO deployments in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, sustainable financing mechanisms for ECOWAS Peace Support Operations, utilisation of the ECOWAS Peace Fund, and opportunities for accessing support under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719.

The Workshop was convened against the backdrop of the ongoing strategic review of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF), aimed at repositioning the Force to effectively respond to emerging security threats, particularly terrorism and asymmetric challenges confronting the region. The forum brought together ECOWAS officials, former and current mission leaders, senior management teams, subject matter experts, and regional stakeholders to deliberate on critical issues towards building a more revitalised, responsive, and operational ECOWAS Standby Force.

In her remarks delivered on behalf of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Olawale Emmanuel Awe, Ambassador Hafsatu Garba ABDULKADIR reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to regional peace, security, and cooperation.

“Our security landscape is rapidly evolving, particularly with the rise of terrorism and complex asymmetric threats to peace and security. Nigeria remains firmly committed to supporting ECOWAS initiatives and working closely with Member States and partners to strengthen our collective capacity to respond effectively to these challenges,” she stated.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and High Commissioner of the Republic of Sierra Leone to Nigeria and ECOWAS, H.E. Dr. Julius SANDY, underscored the centrality of peace and security to regional integration and sustainable development in West Africa.

“Within the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture, Peace Support Operations remain an essential response mechanism for assisting countries affected by crises and conflicts, ensuring stability and creating the conditions necessary for sustainable economic development. Without security, regional integration and development efforts will remain slow and fragile. While ECOWAS may be at a crossroads, the Community has continued to build an important record of interventions across the region. Together, these experiences reflect a region continuously learning and adapting its responses to instability in real time,” he noted.

In his keynote address, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau MUSAH, reviewed the evolution of ECOWAS-led peace support operations and highlighted the urgent need for predictable and sustainable funding arrangements to enable the Community effectively to benefit from the financing framework established under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719.

“Given the existential security threats facing our sub-region, there is need for Member States to support ECOWAS Peace Support Operations. We must put our money where our mouth is to in order to save our region from terrorism and security threats.”

Delivering the closing remarks, H.E. Dr. Julius SANDY emphasized that the recommendations and outcomes of the Workshop would serve as a strategic reference for future ECOWAS peace operations.

“The outcome of this Workshop will not merely serve as a reference point; it will help address existing gaps and provide ECOWAS with an informed platform for strengthening future peace operations and regional security interventions,” he stated.

Participants at the Workshop stressed the need for ECOWAS to remain fit-for-purpose in addressing emerging and evolving security threats while sustaining ECOWAS-led solutions to regional peace and security challenges.

The Workshop concluded with renewed calls for stronger regional solidarity, enhanced operational readiness, sustainable financing, and greater strategic coordination among Member States and partners to ensure that ECOWAS continues to play its leading role in promoting peace, stability, democratic governance, and sustainable development across West Africa.