ECOWAS’ Peace-Building Experience: Lessons From The Field
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
Africa’s long-standing struggles with conflict have made peace negotiations a crucial aspect of governance and diplomacy.
While the African Union’s (AU) “Silence the Guns” initiative aims for a conflict-free continent by 2063, the reality tells a different story—active state conflicts have nearly doubled since 2013.
Against this backdrop, key African diplomats gathered in Addis Ababa to share insights on peace negotiations.
At a high-level meeting organised by Chatham House and the Uniteď Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP), ECOWAS President, Dr. Omar Touray highlighted West Africa’s experience in peace agreements, reflecting on interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia.
He noted that successful negotiations depend on addressing power struggles, ensuring commitment from conflicting parties, enforcing compliance, and establishing a trusted institution to safeguard peace.
Other renowned diplomats, including Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas and Professor Ibrahim Gambari, stressed the need for preventive measures, youth and women’s involvement in peace processes, and neutral mediation.
The discussions however underscored a harsh truth—Africa spends significantly more on resolving conflicts than preventing them.
As ECOWAS and the AU push for sustainable peace, the lessons from past negotiations remain critical as the challenge ahead lies not only in negotiating peace but in ensuring it lasts.
