The main objective of the EPSAO Project is to support the ECOWAS Commission in its mandate to prevent and manage conflict and security threats in West Africa.

The three Specific Objectives (SO) of the project are to:

(1) Strengthen ECOWAS’s mechanisms to promote and maintain peace and stability which will include primarily support for:

• Needs-based training and exercises for ECOWAS Peace Operations/ the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in cooperation with the regional Training Centers of Excellence (TCEs) and Training Institutions (TIs)
• Sustained liaison, coordination and partnership with the AU and other Regional Economic Communities/ Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) with respect to Peace Operations.

(2) Enable ECOWAS to prevent and manage erupting or existing conflicts which will include primarily support for the:

• Strengthening of national early warning and response capacities
• Strengthening of civil society in conflict prevention and peacebuilding
• Enhancement of ECOWAS early warning and mediation capacities
• Strengthening of the role of women in peace and security (UNSCR 1325, 2000)
• Implementation of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF)

(3) Contribute to the creation of a secure and safe post conflict environment which will include primarily support for the:

• Promotion and implementation of the ECOWAS Security Sector Reform and Governance (SSRG) Police Framework
• SSRG process The Gambia

Status:

The Action will run for a four-year period from 1 February 2019 and is jointly co-financed by the EU (EUR 16.4 million) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) (EUR 4 million).