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The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) participated in the ECOWARN Field Monitors Annual Retreat held in Lomé, Togo, from 25 to 27 February 2026. Organised by the ECOWAS Commission through its Early Warning Directorate (EWD), the three-day retreat brought together field monitors from 12 ECOWAS Member States, alongside analysts and technical staff.
As part of the long-standing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between WANEP and ECOWAS, WANEP-supported field monitors took part in the retreat. The WANEP Liaison Officer to ECOWAS and a Peace Monitoring Centre (PMC) Officer from the WANEP Regional Office were also in attendance, underscoring the strong collaboration between the two institutions.
The retreat focused on strengthening the technical and analytical capacities of field monitors, who play a critical role in identifying and reporting emerging risks across the region. Sessions covered ECOWARN’s mandate and institutional framework, data collection and verification methods, and ethical reporting standards. Participants also received training on analytical tools such as the Human Security Analysis Framework and the Conflict Risk and Human Security Assessment, which support evidence-based analysis and preventive action.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Onyinye Onwuka highlighted the importance of the retreat in a context of evolving regional challenges, including insecurity, climate change, and governance pressures. She emphasised the central role of field monitors in ensuring timely and accurate reporting to inform preventive responses.
The retreat was further marked by the presence of the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Tchintchibidja, who underscored the complex security environment in West Africa, including violent extremism, transnational organised crime, and governance deficits. She reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to preventive diplomacy under the ECOWAS Vision 2050 framework and called for stronger grassroots engagement, alongside more effective response mechanisms to complement early warning efforts.
The retreat concluded with renewed commitment from participants to strengthen collaboration and enhance the effectiveness of early warning and response systems across the region.
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