Regional dialogue in Cotonou concludes: roadmap adopted to strengthen peace architectures in West Africa
The regional meeting on peace architectures in West Africa concluded on Friday at the Sofitel hotel in Cotonou, Benin, after two days of work bringing together representatives of states, civil society and development partners. Participants adopted a roadmap stressing regional cooperation, the inclusion of youth and women, and the strengthening of institutional capacities to combat violent extremism. All called for turning these recommendations into concrete actions to sustainably consolidate peace in the Gulf of Guinea.
SUMMARY
After two days of work, the regional meeting on peace architectures in West Africa ended this Friday, September 12, in Cotonou. Held under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and supported by the Beninese government, the meeting brought together representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, as well as civil society actors and members of the academic world.
A region weakened by terrorist threats
Over 48 hours, participants painted a worrying picture. Poverty, community vulnerability, the effects of climate change, institutional fragility and lack of regional coordination were identified as factors aggravating the rise of terrorism and violent extremism in the Gulf of Guinea.
“No country, however strong, can tackle these security challenges alone“, reminded Adamou Aba Bagnan, technical adviser at the Beninese Ministry of the Interior, representing Minister Alassane Seidou.
Towards strengthened cooperation
The proceedings resulted in several strong recommendations. The most notable: the need to build a genuine regional peace architecture based on the coordination of national initiatives and the pooling of resources.
Participants also stressed the importance of more inclusive governance, involving women, youth, civil society and religious authorities. A roadmap was adopted, providing notably for the strengthening of institutional capacities, bilateral and regional cooperation, as well as the establishment of innovative public and private financing mechanisms.
Support from the UNDP
For his part, the UNDP resident representative in Benin, Titus Oladayo Osundina, hailed “a landmark meeting” and emphasized the urgency of a collective response to a transnational threat. “If nothing is done, the entire region risks destabilization“, he warned, calling for greater solidarity among states.
A reaffirmed commitment
At the end of the meeting, delegations committed to turning the conclusions into concrete actions. “We must not shelve this roadmap. It must be implemented on the ground”, insisted Adamou Aba Bagnan during his closing remarks.
The Cotonou meeting thus marks an important step in building a concerted response against violent extremism and in consolidating peace in West Africa.
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