Terrorism, violent extremism, and other significant threats jeopardize human security and stability in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region. This was the backdrop against which the ECOWAS Commission's Vice-President, Ms. Damtien Larbli Tchintchibidja, discussed at the opening of the 2025 technical session of the Joint Analysis and Response Planning Working Group (JARP-WG) held on April 28, 2025, in Zuma Rock, Nigeria.
Represented by Dr. Onyinye Onwuka, the Commission’s Acting Director of Early Warning, Ms. Tchintchibidja underscored the urgency of addressing these challenges. She emphasized the importance of the Working Group, stating, "The JARP-WG aims to strengthen our capacity for joint analysis and response planning to threats to human security, while establishing standardized procedures and promoting collaboration between Commission departments and between ECOWAS Member States."
A three-day meeting involves directors from National Early Warning and Response Centres in ECOWAS member states, representatives from various ECOWAS Commission departments, and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP). The session aims to collect analytical input to inform the report on the human security situation in ECOWAS for 2024 and 2025.
Dr. Onwuka noted the importance of a holistic, human-centered approach to anticipate and address human insecurity in the region. "At the end of this meeting, the JARP-WG will provide a more in-depth analysis that takes into account new perspectives for dealing effectively with threats to human security," she stated.
The JARP-WG was initiated in May 2022 and formally launched in July 2022 by Ms. Tchintchibidja. Its purpose is to enhance the region’s capacity to address human security challenges through collaboration and structured planning among ECOWAS member states. This initiative is organized around five thematic areas: security, crime, health, environment, and governance.
During the session, participants attended presentations on 'ECOWARN 2.0' and 'Introduction to JARP tools to strengthen collaboration and synergies in early warning and response', delivered by Marcel Bossou and Nanténé Coulibaly Seck from the Early Warning Department of the ECOWAS Commission.
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