ECOWAS Commission, European Union, and Germany join forces for the 5th Steering Committee meeting of the EPSAO project’.

The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the European Union and Germany, successfully  co-organized the 5th Steering Committee Meeting (SCM) for the ‘ECOWAS Peace and Security

Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) project on October 31, 2023 in Abuja Nigeria. The EPSAO project, an initiative by ECOWAS, aims to support the Commission in its mandate to prevent and manage conflicts and security threats in West Africa.

In order to foster a collaborative approach, the meeting facilitated the participation of stakeholders from the EPSAO project, both physically and virtually, to contribute to the decision-making processes.

Mrs. Celine Hoste, Co-chair of the meeting and representative of the European Union, expressed

her appreciation for the contributions made by all stakeholders within the framework of the EPSAO

project. She underscored the urgency of addressing transnational crime in West Africa and emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts among the organizations for global peace. Mrs. Hoste reiterated the European Union’s commitment to supporting the promotion of a robust peace and security architecture in the ECOWAS region.

Mrs. Susanne SCHRÖDER, Head of Cooperation and representative of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Nigeria, reaffirmed the German government’s dedication to promoting peace and security in the region through the EPSAO project. She highlighted the significance of the German Chancellor’s visit to the ECOWAS Commission as a strong symbol of cooperation and partnership between Germany and ECOWAS.

Dr. Sintiki T. UGBE, Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, expressed gratitude on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission to the European Union and Germany for their strong partnership. Dr. Ugbe acknowledged the significant security challenges in the region and emphasized the importance of reinforcing collaboration for sustainable peace and security. She emphasized the progress made through the EPSAO project, particularly in terms of security sector reform, which has yielded concrete deliverables.

The results and recommendations discussed during the meeting will be documented in a report that will be presented to the ECOWAS Commission management.