By Milcah Tanimu

An expert group meeting to establish the Economic, Social, and Cultural Council in West Africa (ECOSOCC-WA) was held from June 12-13, 2024, in Cotonou, Benin.

Participants at the two-day meeting reviewed and strengthened the draft foundational framework document developed from previous consultative meetings. The meeting also reviewed a draft three-year work program, action plan, and indicative budget aimed at providing a strong foundation for civil society contributions to peacebuilding and development in the ECOWAS community.

The experts forged a greater understanding of the strategic importance of ECOSOCC-WA in addressing the political and socio-economic challenges facing the ECOWAS region. The meeting featured key presentations, plenaries, group working sessions, and interactive discussions.

A robust regional ECOWAS-Civil Societies Organization (CSO) coordinating platform was discussed as part of the strategy to support ECOWAS’s 4×4 agenda and its peace and security priorities. ECOSOCC-WA aims to provide a platform for civil society organizations to contribute to regional integration, address shared challenges, and promote inclusive development. It will also help address democratic reversals and threats to peace and security in the region.

Participants included representatives from social and cultural agencies of ministries from the 15 ECOWAS member states, the private sector, think tanks, and stakeholders in governance, peace, and security.

The collaboration between ECOWAS and CSOs highlights the importance of strategic partnerships between civil society, governments, development partners, and economic communities. The role of CSOs has evolved from being mere watchdogs to credible bridge-builders between policymakers and the ECOWAS community, enhancing the effectiveness of their collaboration.

The meeting received active support from ECOWAS partners, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Strengthening Regional Peace and Stability in West Africa Program (SRPS), the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).

The Cotonou meeting built on the regional meeting held on February 22-23, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria, which was an extension of the internal consultative workshop in Lagos, Nigeria, in December 2023.