IN a bid to bolster its fight against crime, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is hosting a Human Security Thematic Workshop on Crime and Criminality in Abuja, Nigeria, from March 26-29, 2024. Organised by ECOWAS’s Early Warning Directorate (EWD), the workshop aims to equip experts from National Centres for Early Warning and Response Mechanisms across the region with advanced skills to tackle crime and criminality effectively.
Dr. Onyinye Onwuka, Acting Director of the ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate, highlighted the significance of proactive measures in combating threats to peace and stability posed by crime. ‘Crime undermines progress and puts citizens at risk. This workshop is about giving our member states with the National Centres as entry points, the tools to proactively combat these threats,” remarked Dr. Onwuka.
Dr. Cyriaque Agnekethom, Director of ECOWAS DPKRS, commended the efforts of the Early Warning Directorate in enhancing alert and response mechanisms to prevent human insecurity and mitigate post-conflict reactions within ECOWAS member states.
The workshop brings together representatives from National Centres for Early Warning and Response Mechanisms, along with stakeholders from the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), relevant ECOWAS departments, the Institute for Security Studies, and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
The comprehensive curriculum of the workshop spans six modules, covering topics such as the nexus between crime and conflict, sustainable crime combating strategies, geo-spatial analysis, and mapping of transnational organized crime typologies. Additionally, participants will engage in brainstorming sessions on joint analytical products and the role of National Centres for the Coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanisms.
Emphasising practical learning, the workshop integrates discussions, simulations, and group exercises to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among participants. By promoting a coordinated regional approach to crime prevention and response, ECOWAS aims to enhance peace, stability, and economic development within the region.