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KAIPTC Hold Induction Course For ECOWAS States On Coordination Response Mechanism

General News KAIPTC Hold Induction Course For ECOWAS States On Coordination Response Mechanism
NOV 23, 2020 LISTEN

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), in partnership with The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Monday, November 23, 2020, held the opening ceremony of the Induction Course for National Centres for Coordination Response Mechanism (NCCRM) in Accra.

The training workshop has become necessary as countries in the region continue to face diverse conflicts, ranging from communal crisis such as transhumance, violent extremism, religious fundamentalism, political violence, piracy, and maritime crimes.

The ceremony held at the KAIPTC is expected to offer a week-long training for 45 participants from all ECOWAS member countries aimed at helping to facilitate detection, monitor, and analyze conflict indicators through open data sources.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission in charge of early warnings system, Her Excellency Finda E.M. Koroma noted that despite the operationalization of the ECOWAS early warning and response system and the collective security framework, individual member states remain faced with various challenges that derail development, peace, and security.

The goal of ECOWAS now she says is to deploy the NCCRM to all 15 member states within a reasonable timeframe while mobilizing resources to improve and sustain the performance of the mechanisms.

According to Her Excellency Finda E.M. Koroma, a proactive approach to conflict prevention that is aimed at addressing the root cause of conflicts is the sure way to deal with persisting challenges that threaten peace in security in member countries.

“Our early warning mechanism and the envisaged gains must not be seen as merely an ECOWAS Commission affair. Rather, it must be seen as a regional commitment and a collective effort by our member states to maintain sustainable peace and security in the region,” she noted.

Her Excellency Finda E.M. KoromaHer Excellency Finda E.M. Koroma

The Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission in charge of the early warnings system added, “In order to achieve all this, there must be a strong political commitment by our member states and the people in our region must identify themselves with this commitment.”

She further indicated that the goal of the ECOWAS going forward is to put in place an Early Warning System, with credible tools and cadres, and reliable products that can be shared with relevant government agencies in the region, especially national security agencies, dealing with various aspects of human security challenges and state security.

Speaking to participants of the workshop by way of a welcome address, Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Air Commodore George Kweku Arko-Dadzie expressed his delight in the training while noting that it falls in line with the objectives of the center.

“This workshop is in line with the strategic objective of the KAIPTC, which is to support the capacity of African Regional Institutions such as the ECOWAS, AU, and other relevant structures to effectively perform their mandate in ensuring peace and security in Africa,” he noted.

Air Commodore George Kweku Arko-DadzieAir Commodore George Kweku Arko-Dadzie

While extending appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission, EU, GIZ, and WANEP for the support to ensure the training sees the light of day, Air Commodore George Kweku Arko-Dadzie shared that he hopes the training will, in the end, serve its purpose.

“It is my fervent hope that this induction course will provide the needed knowledge and skills to enable participants to deliver their task of ensuring conflict prevention and transformation in their respective countries,” he said.

On his part, Dr. Chukwuemeka B. Eze who is the Executive Director for West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) bemoaned the spectre of election-related violence, growing inequalities, violent extremism, piracy, unsafe migration, and persistent ethnonational conflicts that countries in the ECOWAS region continue to face.

He insists that now more than ever, National Centres for Coordination Response Mechanism in member countries are crucial and critical to find solutions to all challenges that threaten peace.

Meanwhile, the ECOWAS says they cannot do this alone and hence will welcome the continuous collaboration with the African Union, European Union, GIZ, and other partners to achieve the desired results.

Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo
Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo

JournalistPage: EricNanaYawKwafo

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