Abuja, 14th September 2021
ECOWAS Partners with Build Up and GIZ-EPSAO on Leveraging Technology for Peace building in the Region
Towards maximising the use of technology for peace building, the ECOWAS Mediation and Coordination of Regional Political Affairs Division is in partnership with Build Up, an international non-profit organisation and the GIZ-ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO), through a consultation and training exercise.
The consultations and trainings (which commenced on Monday 13th September 2021 and will wind up on 30th September 2021), aim to identify initiatives in West Africa that are intentionally using technology in their peace building efforts. The sessions will highlight the challenges arising from the use of technology to increase insecurity.
Participants at the sessions will exchange knowledge on themes such as: Rethinking youth engagement in dialogue, Countering harmful narratives spreading online, Enhancing early warning systems as well as Digital/Online mediation.
Specific objectives of the programme include identifying regional actors which have adopted technological approaches towards promoting peace in their communities, highlighting thematic areas in peace and security which have successfully transformed conflicts due to peace-technology as well as exploring limitations of access to digital technology for the ECOWAS region - particularly women, youth and marginalized groups.
Furthermore, the consultations and trainings aim to propose best practices and strategies for using technology to support peacebuilding efforts and providing a platform for networking and information-sharing among peace technology practitioners.
The programme is a follow up to the survey conducted by Build Up in the framework of this partnership among selected stakeholders in the ECOWAS region on the use of technology for peacebuilding. Participants from the online consultation are now invited to partake in selected training workshops which are to be facilitated by Build Up in areas which reflect ECOWAS’ priorities and have been defined through a participatory process.
The programme (co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)) takes cognisance of working with local organisations to identify and address emerging challenges to peace through interventions, research and training.
The outcomes of the consultations and the engagements in the trainings will be compiled in a report to be incorporated in the discussions of the upcoming maiden edition of the West Africa Peace and Security Innovation (WAPSI) Forum.
EPSAO is an ECOWAS Project co funded by the European Union and Germany
For more info on EPSAO Project:
https://www.raosupportcellecowas.com/post/support-to-ecowas-peace-and-security-architecture-and-operations-epsao-1
댓글