By The West Africa Peacebuilding Institute, (WAPI) jointly run by WANEP and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping
Training Centre, (KAIPTC) has been described as ’A notable citadel of peacebuilding training in Africa,’ by participants
of the 13th WAPI session which held in March, 2015. Attesting to the scope and coverage of the institute, the participants also said that it is a ‘ reputable platform for moulding African peacebuilders’ who will take over the mantle of leadership in
providing African solution to Africa’s problems and urged that the institution be expanded into an “Africa Peacebuilding Institute!”
WAPI 13th session brought together 46 participants (22 females and 24 males) across Africa including the ECOWAS Commission and the African Union. In his welcome speech at the WAPI opening ceremony on March 2, 2015, WANEP Executive Director, Mr. Chukwuemeka Eze said “Through WAPI, WANEP and KAIPTC is providing the space for cross-fertilization of ideas across the globe. Participants to this training will learn some of the key concepts in peace and security as well as the dynamics of
preventing, mitigating and responding to African and global challenges through a hands-on and practical approach.”
Also speaking, the Commandant of KAIPTC, Maj Gen OB Akwa said, “We are of the opinion that to attain stability in Africa, capacity development, promotion of good governance, and protection of human rights must be critical policy priorities.”
The Institute is part of WANEP’s capacity building strategy and creates the platform to strengthen the capacity of peacebuilding and development practitioners to actively contribute
to the realization of WANEP’s diverse thematic areas as embedded in the courses offered. It is also part of WANEP’s commitment to support the ECOWAS conflict prevention agenda, which in turn reinforces and strengthens the African Union Peace and Security Architecture.
WANEP and KAIPTC jointly run WAPI every year in September with combine funding from the governments of Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. However, the 13th session was rescheduled from September 2014 to March 2015 due to the Ebola outbreak recorded in 2014 which prevented international travels within most African countries.
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