An expert group meeting for the establishment of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council in West Africa (ECOSOCC-WA) was held between June 12 and 13, 2024, in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. Participants at the two-day meeting reviewed and strengthened the draft foundational framework document that resulted from two prior consultative meetings. The meeting also examined a tentative three-year work program and action plan for ECOSOCC-WA while considering an indicative three-year budget aimed at providing a strong foundation for civil society contributions to peacebuilding and development within the ECOWAS community.
The gathering facilitated a greater understanding of the comparative advantages and strategic importance of ECOSOCC-WA in addressing current and potential political and socio-economic challenges facing the ECOWAS region. The event featured key presentations, plenaries, group working sessions, and interactive discussions.
Part of the strategies discussed included establishing a robust regional ECOWAS-Civil Societies Organization (CSO) coordinating platform focused on democracy, peace, and security. This platform aims to support the realization of ECOWAS' 4×4 agenda as well as its peace and security priorities in the region. Consequently, ECOSOCC-WA will provide a venue for civil society organizations to actively contribute to regional integration, address shared challenges, and promote inclusive development. It will also help tackle prevailing democratic reversals and threats to peace and security in the region.
Experts participating in the meeting included representatives from key social and cultural agencies of ministries from all 15 ECOWAS member states, alongside private sector entities, think tanks, governance experts, peace advocates, and security stakeholders across the region.
The collaboration between ECOWAS and CSOs highlights the significance of fostering strategic partnerships among civil society organizations, governments, development partners, and economic communities. The evolving role of CSOs from mere watchdogs to credible bridge-builders between policymakers and communities enhances their collaborative effectiveness.
The experts' meeting received active support from several ECOWAS partners including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under its Strengthening Regional Peace and Stability in West Africa Program (SRPS), West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), United Nations Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS), as well as Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
The Cotonou meeting built on previous regional discussions held on February 22-23, 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria. These discussions were themselves an extension of an internal consultative workshop conducted in Lagos, Nigeria in December 2023.
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