The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established on 28 May 1975 with the aim of promoting economic cooperation and integration among its Member States. With the understanding that peace is a prerequisite to economic growth, ECOWAS expanded its mandate in its Revised Treaty (1993) to include the maintenance of peace, security and stability in the region. The responsibility of executing the mandate of ECOWAS in the areas of peace and security lies with the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS).
ECOWAS has also adopted several legal frameworks to guide the peace and security internal decision-making processes and external interventions in Member States. These frameworks include the Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security (1999), the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (2001), the Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and other related materials (2006), the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (2008), the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Strategy (2013) and the ECOWAS Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform and Governance (2016).
Key WPS and gender equality reports and resources