The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) concluded its 28th Technical Meeting on Early Warning Systems today in Abuja, Nigeria. Held from June 24-26, the event gathered representatives from the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and various stakeholders to enhance regional collaboration in early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms.
Her Excellency Mrs. Damtien Tchintchibidja, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, expressed gratitude to all delegates for their active participation and commitment. She highlighted the crucial need for timely collaboration and cooperation to address identified capacity gaps and ensure effective conflict prevention mechanisms. “We need to harmonize our efforts and focus on joint capacity building, leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence and GIS, to meet emerging trends,” she stated. She emphasized that consistent communication, both physically and virtually, is essential for system experts and analysts to facilitate around-the-clock cooperation and information sharing.
The meeting focused on joint capacity-building efforts, leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and data management tools. Participants agreed to enhance training programs to meet emerging regional and continental trends.
There was a strong consensus on the need to build the capacity of in-house experts, aiming to reduce reliance on external consultants. This move will enable peer experience sharing and peer learning within the RECs.
The importance of harmonizing efforts across different regions, including North, Central, West, and Southern Africa was underscored. Joint appointments and coordinated actions were deemed crucial for addressing security challenges effectively.
It was agreed that directors and CEOs from various RECs should hold regular meetings on the margins of key summits to ensure seamless coordination and collaboration in early warning and conflict prevention.
Participants discussed the strategic utilization of the Peace Fund with a commitment to submitting work plans to Ghana. The meeting emphasized taking advantage of available funds amounting to five million dollars to support various initiatives across the AU and RECs.
The Acting Director of the ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate, Dr. Onyinye Onwuka reiterated the need for continuous improvement in early warning systems. The meeting reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to developing resilient structures capable of identifying and mitigating threats. Dr. Onwuka emphasized the impact of the meeting on strengthening early warning systems as well as leveraging regional expertise. She noted significant progress made in harmonizing efforts and enhancing collaboration among RECs.
The meeting concluded with a strong commitment towards implementing discussed resolutions along with a shared vision for a more secure region through collaborative efforts expectedly enhancing AU's early warning capacities.
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