The project will contribute to the operationalization of the African Peace & Security Architecture (APSA) and will be closely coordinated with the African Peace Facility (APF) funded "APSA Support Programme" and the "Support to the African Training Centres in Peace and Security".

Expected results:

• Strengthened institutional and managerial capacity of the ECOWAS Commission, i.e. the Department for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and the Peace Fund, to effectively execute its peace and security mandate;
• Plans of Action of selected components of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF) developed and implemented.  

 
Main activities:

• Training and capacity building activities of ECOWAS Commission Department for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and Peace Fund to coordinate, plan and manage activities and resources;
• Training and capacity building of ECOWAS and to strengthen internal expertise in selected thematic areas of the ECPF;
• Training sessions/awareness raising seminars on specific aspects of civilian / police component of ECOWAS standby force (ESF);
• Establish and operationalise roster for civilian & police personnel for peacekeeping missions;
• Setting-up of the Civilian & Police components of the ESF;
• Deployment of the Civilian/Police components of the ESF;
• Deployment of the Mission support component of the ESF.

Main accomplishments to date

• Recruitment of 6 Professional Staff (Maritime Security and Safety Officer, Head of Mission support component, Head of Civilian component, Programme Officer Rostering and Training; Maritime Legal and Policy officer and Stockpiling Management Specialist) are finalized. 
• Validation meetings for reports of the 4 short term experts' missions – mapping of CSOs active in the Peace and Security area in West Africa; review of business processes at PAPS; development of a web-based monitoring and evaluation system and elaboration of plans of action for the 15 components of the ECPF have taken place, with the participation of ECOWAS focal points across several directorates.
• An addendum to the service contract for Technical Assistance has been processed. This aims to extend the mandate of the TAs to include a key expert in the area of security sector reform in the Gambia as well as ensure the TAT's mandate aligns with the end of the project in 2019.
• Regular Steering Committee Meetings and PSS Project: Steering Committee held successfully on the 17th August 2017 to approve the draft workplan and the 4rd interim report of the technical assistance team supporting implementation of the grant. The following PSC is anticipated June 2018.
• Procurement activities and baseline surveys undertaken successfully.
• Operational Audit of 4 out of 5 individual contracts linked to the African Peace and Security architecture concluded 8 - 11 May, 2017. 
• Three small grants to CSOs on cross-border peace building initiatives in Nigeria and Mali have been successfully implemented.  Two of the grants were to address issues related to peacebuilding activities particularly as regards the ongoing Farmer/Herdsmen conflicts in the selected states in Nigeria.
• Recruitment of 6 professional staff financed by the grant, which began in June 2016, has been finalized and the 6 staff have effectively taken up duty with the Political Affairs, Peace and Security directorate.
• Regional workshop on the role of the Media in Peace and Security held successfully.

Source of funds: 10th EDF (CRIS ref: 2013/022-795)

Total budget (EUR): 29.33M

Implementing period: 72 months (2013– 2019)

Implementing agencies: ECOWAS (grant), Technical Assistance (service contract), UNDP Nigeria (contribution agreement on small arms collection)

Geographical region: West Africa