ECOWAS Commission, European Union, and Germany, unite for the 5th Steering Committee meeting of the ‘’Organized Crime: West African Response to Trafficking (OCWAR-T) project’’

The 5th Steering Committee meeting (SCM) for the OCWAR-T project, which is an ECOWAS project aims to combat organized crime and human trafficking in West Africa, was co-organized by the ECOWAS Commission, the European Union and Germany, on October 31, 2023, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The meeting involved both physical and virtual participants.

The committee which serves as the supreme decision-making body for the project, discussed and provided strategic direction for the project’s interventions, ensuring they align with the project’s objectives.

Mme Celine LHOSTE, representing the European Union and Co-chair of the meeting, commended all stakeholders for their contributions and highlighted the urgency of addressing transnational crime in West Africa.

Dr. Sintiki T. UGBE, Director, Humanitarian and Social Affairs, representing the ECOWAS

Commission expressed gratitude to the European Union and Germany for this strong partnership with ECOWAS. Recognizing the substantial security challenges faced by the region, she emphasized the crucial need for enhanced human resources support in the fight against organized crime.

The results as well as the recommendations discussed during the meeting will be included in a report which will be presented to the management of the ECOWAS Commission.