West Africa SST Network

Sub-regional Plan and Programme Framework

The overall goal of the West Africa programme is to complement ongoing activities aimed at promoting regional security within ECOWAS, including contributions to particularly SST processes in particular countries. Its objectives are:

§ To contribute, through a comprehensive capacity development programme, to the process of building a community of West Africans knowledgeable on issues of conflict prevention and security, with a common appreciation of the threats to security in West Africa, and to enhance their effective participation in various governance processes.

§ To assist the building of capacity across various sectors, facilitation of exchange of information and expertise among West African civil society organizations in conflict prevention.

§ To provide networking opportunities and promote public policy advice on conflict prevention and peace building, strengthening the capacity to understand, anticipate, plan and forecast security challenges and articulating responses.

§ To encourage dialogue between West African civil society, governments, and the security forces on various peace and security issues, including security sector governance and conflict prevention and build confidence between West African civil society and ECOWAS.

§ To inculcate a democratic culture of civic responsibility and duty among youth.

Link to the West Africa SST Network Draft sub-regional Plan and Programme Framework

Within this framework the following projects received support:

Liberia - The Liberia programme has the objective of developing capacity of local institutions in post-conflict Liberia for critical analysis of SST processes. Liberia’s post-war environment provides a unique opportunity to address post-conflict issues that are by no means unique to Liberia. The country will serve as a test case, for example, to critically re-examine approaches to post-conflict rebuilding programmes such as DDR and sequencing of SSR and other governance rebuilding programmes, which might offer lessons for other places. Addressing these issues in Liberia will also offer an opportunity to deal with the regional dimensions and impact of the war both in the MANO River neighbourhood and in the wider West Africa sub-region. But even more importantly, this initiative will offer the opportunity to contribute to efforts to develop local capacity to monitor and analyze governance and security issues as well as capacity to generate public debates. More Details>>>>
RIPSS - The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) is establishing a Regional Institute for Peace and Security Studies (RIPSS) for West Africa. It will offer a comprehensive training programme as well as informed analysis on all aspects of Human Security in the sub-region. It will also serve as a forum for exchanges and dialogue between African practitioners, academics activists at all levels. More Details>>>>

WACSOF -This programme aims to build the capacity of the West African Civil Society Forum and national civil society coalitions in monitoring governance and human security and contributing to ECOWAS’ early warning mechanisms. Its activities focuses on training members and national focal points of the West African Civil Society Forum in: More Details>>>>