(Accra, Ghana – 15 September 2025) – The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) is hosting the bi-annual meeting of Commandants of the ECOWAS Training Centres of Excellence (TCEs), bringing together senior officials and partners to strengthen collaboration on training, research, and capacity development for peace and security in West Africa.
The three-day meeting, organised in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission and with technical support from the German development agency GIZ, convenes the Commandants of the National Defence College (Nigeria), KAIPTC (Ghana), and the Ecole de Maintien de la Paix Alioune Blondin Beye (Mali), alongside senior officials from the ECOWAS Commission and key partners.
Opening the session on behalf of the KAIPTC Commandant, Deputy Commandant Brigadier General Zibrim Bawah Ayorrogo welcomed participants and set the tone for the deliberations. He emphasised the collective responsibility of the Centres to remain responsive, innovative, and collaborative, especially at a time when West Africa faces violent extremism, transnational organised crime, and climate-related insecurities. He outlined the meeting’s purpose as a platform to reaffirm a shared vision for sustained peace, reflect on progress, exchange best practices, and chart new areas of cooperation. He expressed hope that by the close of the meeting, participants would have identified concrete steps towards building a unified and effective training ecosystem to support ECOWAS’ peace and security mandate.
In a keynote statement delivered on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, stressed the strategic importance of the Commandants Meeting as a mechanism for aligning the Centres’ activities with the Commission’s broader agenda. He pointed to the linkages between training and applied research, noting that ECOWAS had worked with the Centres to ensure training remains evidence-based and needs-driven. Highlighting recent joint work, he cited the completion of a research study on demography and security, and announced that a new study on the impact of misinformation and disinformation on regional peace would soon begin.
Ambassador Musah also reviewed progress under the Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA) of the ECOWAS Standby Force, under the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project, explaining that upcoming joint training activities would target priority gaps identified through that process. He further called on the Centres to adapt their training curricula in preparation for the activation of the Regional Counterterrorism Force, recently endorsed by ECOWAS Heads of State. “Apart from traditional threats such as organised crime, maritime insecurity, terrorism and arms proliferation, we are also confronted with new human security challenges. The TCEs have a critical role to play in preparing the ECOWAS Standby Force with both kinetic and non-kinetic tools to respond effectively,” he said.
The ECOWAS Resident Representative in Ghana, Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, speaking on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, reinforced the need for renewed political will and proactive approaches in the face of escalating security concerns. He warned that instability in the Sahel was spilling into coastal states and urged the Centres to focus not only on crisis response but also on addressing root causes of conflict. Situating his remarks in the broader context of shifting global dynamics and technological change, he said: “Given the rapidly changing global environment and the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a reactive approach to crisis management is no longer sustainable. We must proactively anticipate and address potential threats to mitigate risks before they escalate.”
Across the speeches, a common theme emerged: the Centres of Excellence are not only training institutions but also policy and research hubs, essential for strengthening the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture. The meeting’s agenda includes a review of developments since the last Commandants Meeting in Abuja (May 2024), updates on the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project, discussions on the review of the Memorandum of Understanding between ECOWAS and the Centres, and deliberations on regional security challenges and the role of the Centres in supporting the Standby Force.
By the end of the three days, participants are expected to agree on practical steps to deepen cooperation, harmonise training standards, and sharpen their contribution to peace support operations, stabilisation efforts, and conflict prevention across West Africa.
The meeting has drawn senior ECOWAS officials, including Dr. Cyriaque Agnekethom (Director, Peacekeeping and Regional Security), Dr. Adamu Sani (Acting Head, Peace Support Operations Division), Mr. Bekaye Coulibaly (Head of Civilian Component), as well as delegations from the National Defence College, KAIPTC, EMP-ABB, and strategic partners such as GIZ.
