2023-09-12 07:48:53
Placing a point of honor on peace and security, decisive factors for sustainable development and growth, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) proceeded, Monday, September 11, 2023, to the launch of a sub-regional workshop on conflict prevention and the fight against the proliferation of small arms. Spanning two days, this meeting mobilizes young change agents from various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in member countries.
Sylvestre TCHOMAKOU
Convinced that the problem of peace and sustainable development cannot be resolved in West Africa without tackling the root causes of conflicts with the participation and significant involvement of all segments of society, ECOWAS makes the engagement of civil society actors a priority. It is with this conviction and aware of the place occupied by young people as agents of change for peace and security that the ECOWAS commission, in particular the political affairs directorate, has been meeting in Cotonou since yesterday 11 September 2023, several West African organizations. Taking place within the framework of the “African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA IV)” project funded by the European Union (EU), this meeting aims to improve the implementation of conflict prevention, mediation and silence the weapons led by young people in ECOWAS member states. Better still, over the two days of activity, participants from various West African organizations will map the conflict prevention and conciliation actions carried out by young people in the region; to increase young people’s knowledge of existing legal standards to enable them to become more involved in peace initiatives; to create greater awareness on the existing gaps in the silence of youth gun advocacy in order to develop relevant strategies to overcome them through a mapping exercise.
In his address at the opening of the proceedings, Dr Onyinye Onwuka, on behalf of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, welcomed the efforts of the various parties for peace and security in the region. Recalling that the year 2020 which was defined by the AU to “Silencing the guns” arrived without the continent, in particular ECOWAS, having achieved its objective, which caused the deadline to be pushed back to 2030, through This workshop is about putting young people at the heart of the action. “It is important to take advantage of the positive energy of these young people, to involve them in the decision-making process, to give them a voice as an actor in the sub-region for the transformation of ECOWAS.” Speaker, the Manager of the ECOWAS Peace Fund, Dieudonné Nikiema, welcomed the participants and underlined the importance of the APSA program at ECOWAS. This program, he will explain, works to combat violence and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW). “What Africa will be is what we do,” he assured to conclude his speech.
This is when the emissary of the Resident Representative of ECOWAS in Benin, Mamadou Konaté, will intervene. Insisting on the importance of taking into account the voice of youth, integrating their concerns and analyzes into decision-making processes related to peace and security, “This workshop,” he said, “is a boon for West African youth, particularly those of Benin, to actively participate in activities to make themselves heard with a view to impacting decisions in the direction of strengthening resilience and improving situations of insecurity and instability”. He did not fail to welcome Benin’s efforts in this direction and reiterate ECOWAS’ commitment to the consolidation of peace in West Africa. Moreover, it is important to point out that for the first day, several communications furnished the discussions.
QA September 12, 2023
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