EU Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG)
Strengthening the implementation of the ECOWAS peace and security architecture at regional and national levels throughout the conflict cycle, while promoting the values of democracy and human security.

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Benin, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
Security and peacekeeping
International security, stability and peace
Published on 25/02/2025
ECOWAS Commission

Objective

Faced with growing security and governance threats in West Africa, the EPSG project aims to support ECOWAS in its role of regulation, prevention and resolution of conflicts.
  • €2.25m
    BUDGET
  • 12/12/2024
    PROJECT START
  • 36 months
    DURATION
    PROJECT FUNDED BY
  • European Union
  • Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany
    PARTNERS
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
  • Fundación Internacional y para Iberoamérica de Administración y Políticas Públicas (FIIAPP)

ECOWAS’s pivotal role in addressing peace and security issues in West Africa

Over the past decade, West Africa has experienced severe political instability, manifested in conflict, political violence, protests and social unrest. This instability is also marked with violent extremism in the Sahel region, and there is now a growing movement by these violent extremist groups to extend their reach towards coastal West Africa.

The EU supports ECOWAS initiatives to consolidate democratic processes and facilitate the transition towards democracy and sustainable peace through high-level political diplomacy and mediation.

As a primary African-led organisation with a mandate to convene West African states to address peace and security issues in the region, ECOWAS's role as a regional platform is pivotal. Despite challenges to its mandate in Central Sahel, the organisation maintains a strong political mandate and proven expertise in conflict prevention, management, and peace mediation.

EPSG: an EU/BMZ-funded project to strengthen ECOWAS' capabilities in conflict management

This project represents the third phase of the EU’s support to ECOWAS in the domain of peace and security. With a total budget of €24m (€2.25m for Expertise France), it is designed to strengthen ECOWAS' capabilities to act at regional and national levels throughout the entire conflict cycle, from conflict prevention through management, mediation and conflict resolution.

It will have a primary focus on four key areas:

1. Strenghtening conflict prevention, crisis management and peace mediation in the ECOWAS region, based on ECOWAS’ early warning and response mechanisms.

2. Increasing ECOWAS’ contribution to a secure, democratic and human rights-based environment with a focus on member states in a post-conflict or democratic transition.

3. Enhancing electoral systems across ECOWAS member states to safeguard against election-related violence and promote democratic stability.

4. Implementing the peace and security agendas for women and youth with improved coherence and effectiveness, both institutionally within ECOWAS and across targeted member states.

EPSG will cover all ECOWAS Member States, with a special attention on countries in transition but also northern regions of coastal countries (Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Ghana) affected by the spill-over effect of security crises in the Sahel.

Targeted intervention by Expertise France in Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria

Expertise France intervenes more specifically at the ECOWAS member states level, in Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria. Its actions target the following results:

• Strenghtening the capacities of the "national coordination centres for response mechanisms" (NCCRM) and peace infrastructures to effectively implement early warning and response measures – Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire

• Improving security sector reform processes in a manner that respects the rule of law, human security and accountability – Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire

• Increasing the role of parliamentary committees, human rights institutions, civil society and media actors in the democratic control over the security sector – Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire

• Implementing the African Union agenda for youth, peace and security – Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria

    Related field of activity

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    Security and peacekeeping
    Expertise France implements technical cooperation projects in fragile areas, both in the field of development and of security and State services. The agency offers a range of integrated solutions to meet the intersecting needs of populations in terms of stability, governance and sustainable development.