The Parliamentary Centre and ECOWAS

Project Description

A prime cause of violent conflict in West Africa is the failure of governance, including the lack of an effective and active sub-regional non-military mechanism for preventing future and resolving on going conflicts.

The purpose of this project is to help address this gap by developing the capacity of the ECOWAS Parliament to exercise an effective role in preventing and managing conflict in West Africa.

The Project will carry-out a series of seminars, training workshops, and working group initiatives to develop seed institutional mechanisms, individual and organizational capacities, institutional relationships and a strategic plan for the conflict prevention and management role of the ECOWAS Parliament.

The Project will develop the understanding and awareness of ECOWAS Parliamentarians as to the underlying causes of as well as the tools, approaches and skills for Parliamentarians in preventing and 'managing conflict at the regional and national levels. A strong emphasis will be placed on the gender dimensions of conflict in the region and the corresponding gender-based approaches to conflict management and prevention.

This Project will make a modest yet critical contribution to addressing the conflict dynamic in West Africa by working with a select group of ECOWAS Parliamentarians to develop ECOWAS Parliament's institutional mechanisms, relationships, and capacities.

The Project will strengthen the Parliament's capacity to oversee regional peace building and conflict prevention/management efforts agreed to by ECOWAS member states.
It will build the institutional mechanisms, relationships and capacities that will help align national laws with regional agreements on peace and security; bring national and local perspectives on conflict to the regional level and equip parliamentarians at the national and regional levels with the know-how and tools to proactively engage issues of peace and security in the region.

The Project will result in the Parliament exercising a more substantial role during the life of the Project and will plant the seeds for a deeper and broader level of engagement for the longer-term according to an agreed mandate, structure and institutional framework.
The Project has five output level results, all of which combine to contribute to the Project's expected outcome.

1. Improved understanding and awareness by ECOWAS Parliament Members and ECOWAS Secretariat staff of the regional and national dimensions of conflict in West Africa, including the gender dimensions of conflict;
2. Strengthened relationships between ECOWAS Parliament and regional policy institutes and other organizations involved in conflict prevention and management, including other sub-regional inter-parliamentary conflict networks (Amani Forum and SADC/PF);
3. Increased level of skills of ECOWAS Parliament Members and staff in conflict resolution and management, incorporating a gender perspective;
4. Increased understanding among ECOWAS Parliament Members of best practices and lessons learned as to the role and function of parliament in preventing and managing conflict;
5. Increased dialogue among ECOWAS Parliament Members on national and regional issues related to conflict, including among woman ECOWAS Members and; Strengthened relationships between ECOWAS Parliament and other ECOWAS institutions, including in particular the Authority of Heads of States and Government and the Executive ECOWAS Secretariat.

“Strengthening the Capacity of the ECOWAS Parliament to Prevent and Manage Conflict” being implemented by the Parliamentary Centre is funded by a grant from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).