The ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA), in close collaboration with several Commission directorates and agencies, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the EPSG project supporting the European Union’s peace, security and governance efforts in ECOWAS, funded by the European Union, sponsored by Germany and jointly implemented by GIZ, Expertise France and the FIAP Foundation, successfully organised a five-day regional capacity-building programme aimed at improving strategic leadership, coordination and implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda in ECOWAS Member States.
The workshop, held at KAIPTC in Accra from the 17th to 21st November 2025, brought together members of the ECOWAS Regional Steering Group on WPS, including national focal points, regional women’s networks, civil society organisations and ECOWAS Centres of Excellence for Training. The objective was to consolidate national implementation systems in line with the ECOWAS Regional Plan for the FPS Agenda and the Continental Results Framework that guides monitoring and evaluation at the African level.
In his opening address, KAIPTC Acting Commandant Air Commodore David Anetey Akrong emphasised the importance of this training, which responds in a timely manner to the persistent coordination challenges that continue to hamper the effective implementation of the FPS Agenda. He recalled that, twenty-five years after the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, significant gaps remain, particularly in terms of leadership, collaboration and the meaningful participation of women in peace and security processes. He also reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to strengthening WPS systems through research, policy dialogue and ongoing capacity development, while welcoming the strong partnership with the GCSP and GIZ.
On behalf of the ECOWAS Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Dr Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, Mr Olatunde Olayemi, Programme Officer, reaffirmed the Commission’s continued commitment to the FPS Agenda. He recalled that ECOWAS continues to play a leading role at the regional level, notably through the development of National Action Plans, the simplification of the African Union’s Continental Results Framework, and continued support for capacity-building efforts. He stressed that the multisectoral nature of the FPS Agenda requires strong national leadership and effective coordination mechanisms.
The GIZ Country Director in Ghana, Dr Dirk Aßmann, reiterated that lasting peace is impossible without the full participation of women at all levels of decision-making. He confirmed GIZ’s continued support for ECOWAS through the EPSG project, particularly in consolidating the regional FPS architecture. He emphasized the importance of the AU’s Continental Results Framework and ECOWAS’ Regional Action Plan as key tools for strengthening accountability and informing decision-making.
