The Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) of the ECOWAS Commission held a four-day departmental retreat in Abuja, Nigeria, from 2 to 5 November 2026 under the theme: “Aligning PAPS for Effective Political, Peace and Security Responses: Understanding the Department, Defining Strategic Priorities and Delivering Results.”

The retreat was organized to provide the newly appointed Commissioner with a comprehensive orientation on the Department’s mandate, institutional architecture, operations, programmes, achievements, challenges and strategic priorities. It also served as a platform for the Commissioner to articulate her management vision and engage staff on aligning the Department’s priorities alongside the Management Strategic Priorities (MSPs), programmes and resources for the 2026-2030 period.

In addition, participants reviewed the evolving political, peace and security landscape across West Africa, with particular attention to emerging and transnational threats and their implications for regional stability, ECOWAS interventions and the effectiveness of the regional peace and security architecture.

The retreat further enabled the Department to identify priority actions, implementation modalities and accountability mechanisms required to translate the Commissioner’s strategic vision into annual work plans, programmes, budgets and measurable results beginning in 2027. Discussions also focused on fostering a stronger results-oriented management culture across the Department to enhance efficiency, coordination and impact. The retreat brought together staff from across all divisions and cadres of the Department.