The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) last Friday ended an International Expert Workshop on Conflict Prevention, which was supported by DANIDA. The workshop comes at a time of growing interest in critical issues relating to conflict prevention and crisis management in the sub-region.

In a press conference, organised as part of the closing ceremony, Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Adviser, indicated that the process of conflict resolution and prevention has over the past years seen some positive developments and challenges. According to him, the Banjul meeting aimed at upgrading several protocols that have been ratified by Member States that are very much within the community.

Considering that all the wars have been contained, he noted that a renewed focus on consolidating peace characterises recent developments. As such, he went on to say that the principle of dialogue will be the leitmotiv of the methodology that is going to be used in order to resolve problems peacefully. The intention of this new move is to involve all the stakeholders, including local communities, with a view towards finding solutions to these problems.

In other words, a new synergy will help to put an end to the current crises in the Southern Senegalese region of Casamance, Niger Delta and Northern Niger.

Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah also said that the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework will be used as a road map, and to the most possible degree, will help to prevent disputes and disaffection from escalating into full blown conflict. He supported the inclusion of civil society for development of peace-building in West Africa, as a critical means to promote peace.